Living with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) means adjusting to life with low vision, a form of visual impairment. Wet AMD affects your central vision, which can make it harder to see details clearly, recognize faces, or read. Adapting your home with the right assistive devices can help you stay safe, independent, and confident in navigating your surroundings.

If you’ve been diagnosed with wet AMD, here are practical changes you can make to keep your home functional and supportive as your vision changes.

Wet AMD, Vision Loss, and Adapting Your Home

Wet AMD is one type of age-related macular degeneration. It's less common and more severe than dry AMD. In wet AMD, abnormal blood vessels grow under the macula. This part of the retina is responsible for sharp central vision — what you use to see details when looking straight ahead. These abnormal vessels can leak fluid or blood, damaging the macula and leading to vision loss.

With wet AMD, you might notice straight lines appearing wavy or crooked. You may also:

• Have difficulty seeing in low light, even with natural light
• Notice colors looking duller
• Develop a blurry spot in the center of your vision that grows larger over time, sometimes creating blind spots

All of these issues can cause different needs and require different changes to your home. While some people experience all these symptoms, others may notice only one or two. Because symptoms vary, it’s important to make home adjustments that address your specific challenges and help you move safely and confidently in your space.

General Home Adaptations for Wet AMD

Most of the home adaptations you make after getting diagnosed with wet AMD involve one or more of the concepts explained below. You’ll use these concepts throughout your home, even though the specific modifications you make will depend on the specific room and how you need to use it.

Safety

Safety should be first and foremost on your mind when adapting your home for wet AMD. You’ll need to make sure you can avoid hazards and complete your tasks safely. For example, remove or secure items that might be a tripping hazard, especially if they’re hard to see or you frequently forget they’re there.

Organization

Being organized will be more important than ever when your vision is limited. Knowing exactly where things are will reduce your need to rely on sight to find what you need. Create designated spots for items, and always return them to those spots to simplify daily-living tasks.

Color and Lighting

High contrast colors and better lighting can make items and spaces easier to see. Use contrasting colors to highlight objects and avoid accidents. For example, choose rugs, towels, or furniture in colors that stand out against the surrounding floor or walls. Adding more lighting, like task lamps in the kitchen or bathroom, can improve visibility for activities like cooking or getting ready. Consider using energy-efficient light bulbs to brighten rooms while minimizing glare.

Tools and Accessories for Low Vision

Low-vision tools can range from high-tech gadgets to simple household items that make life easier. A clock with larger numbers, for instance, could help you continue to tell time from a distance. Explore tools and accessories like:

• Magnifiers — Magnifiers, including handheld or electronic versions, enlarge text or images, making it easier to read labels, books, or bills. Place them in frequently used areas for convenience.
• Talking devices — Talking devices like clocks, thermometers, or scales provide audio cues, helping you complete tasks like telling time or cooking without relying on sight.
• Tactile markers for labeling items — Raised dots or textured stickers can help you identify buttons, containers, or other items by touch, reducing the need for visual identification.

Adaptations by Room for Wet AMD

With general principles in mind, here are ways to make each room in your home safer and more functional

Kitchen

With the right modifications, you can still cook with low vision. Start by making sure you have the tools you need to see your recipes and ingredients well. You may want to get a screen reader to help you read online recipes. Think large print and bright colors for all of your accessories, including measuring spoons, measuring cups, chopping boards, and handles of knives and utensils.

Create a system in your kitchen so you’ll always know where stuff is. Then, if you put something in a new place or find a place for a new item, leave yourself a voice memo so you’ll be able to find it later.

Bedroom

You’ll want to keep your bedroom comfortable while also making sure it’s safe and functional. Make sure the floor is always clear so you can safely move around, even in low light or at night. If you have rugs, secure them to the ground so you don’t accidentally trip on them.

Make sure you always have the light you need. From bright bedside tables to nightlights or flashlights, good lighting will always help you see better so you can navigate your room well. If you still have trouble seeing things like switches or knobs, highlight them with high-contrast tape so they're easier to spot.

Halls, Doorways, and Stairs

Points of transition can be hard when you can’t see as well. The texture of the floor might change, which is something you need to be able to expect and prepare for when you’re moving around your house. Use high-contrast tape or paint to mark things like the beginning and end of your stairs, light switches, and anything else you often miss. Use bright lights, flash lights, or motion-sensing lights to help keep these areas well lit at all times.

Bathrooms

It’s easy to slip and fall in a bathroom, particularly if the floor is wet. Nonskid mats, both in and outside your tub, as well as handrails, can make your bathroom safer and easier to navigate with wet AMD. Keep all of your items for related tasks together, like shower items and morning-routine items, and always put them in the same place. You may even want to use different bottles for different substances, so it’s easier to distinguish what’s inside each one.

Living Areas

You might spend most of your time in your living room or family room, so it’s important that they work for you. Organize them well so you always know where things like remotes or throw blankets are. Keep track of your cables or cords, as these can be hard to see and increase the risk of falls. Try out a smart home device of your choosing. These can help you turn lights on and off, navigate your television, read to you, and even help with research.

Finally, move your furniture so you have plenty of space to navigate around your home without bumping into things. You may need to declutter or get rid of bulky items to make sure you have enough space.

Work With a Specialist

If you’re not sure what changes to make in your home, talk to a vision rehabilitation expert. These professionals focus on how to help you maintain your daily routine and independence as your vision changes. Your care team may include your eye doctor, occupational therapists, social workers and counselors, and low-vision rehabilitation specialists, all working together to support your needs.

This team can recommend adjustments to your home, provide assistive devices to simplify tasks, and offer training to help you stay confident and capable in your daily life despite vision impairment. By working with specialists, you can preserve your quality of life and emotional well-being while effectively managing the challenges of wet AMD.

Find Your Team

On myAMDteam, the social network for people with age-related macular degeneration and their loved ones, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with those who understand.

Have you adapted your home for wet AMD? What changes made the biggest difference for your daily tasks? Share them in a comment below or on your Activities page.