Do You Have A Case?

Macular Degeneration is a progressive condition that affects the eyes. This disease affects about 1.8 million Americans over 40, according to the CDC. It is also the leading cause of vision loss in the US. Macular degeneration affects the macula, the center of your retina. The macula is vital for controlling our visual acuity. Overall, someone with this condition loses the ability to determine finer details within their central vision. However, their peripheral vision will be mostly unaffected. It may also be referred to as Age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Is Macular Degeneration A Disability?

Yes, macular degeneration is a debilitating condition. It can directly impact your ability to read, drive, use a computer, or perform everyday tasks that require visual coordination. Because AMD is a progressive disease, it will likely get worse over time. This will further decrease your ability to see over time. Before filing for long-term disability insurance for your condition, it is important to understand how to substantiate your claim. Below, we will discuss what you need to know to file your claim.

What are the Disabling Symptoms of AMD?

Generally, the changes to your vision from AMD are gradual. But over time, your eyesight can change drastically. In the later stages of this condition, your vision loss can be severe. The primary symptom of macular degeneration is the blurring of the central vision. This cannot be corrected with glasses. Besides blurring, there are other symptoms of this condition.

Loss of Clarity in Vision

After the macula becomes compromised, you will gradually lose clarity in your vision. Damage to the macula affects your vision in a proportionate way. As such, degeneration of the macula leads to degeneration in vision quality.

Visual Distortion

Damage to the macula can create curves and waves. Abnormal curves or stretching of the macula nerve cells can create corresponding defects in your vision. This can be seen most obviously by looking at straight lines. If you look at a set of straight lines, and they are wavy or crooked, you may be experiencing defects in your vision.

Poor Depth Perception

Depth perception is determined by your brain interpreting images from both eyes. If there is macular damage in one or both eyes, it can affect your ability to perceive depth properly. This may impact fine motor abilities, including driving.

Loss of Color in Your Vision

The macula also affects color perception. Damage caused by swelling, scar tissue, or other forms of degeneration can affect your ability to process colors. Color perception often worsens with further macular degeneration.

Light Sensitivity and Changes in Lighting

Light sensitivity, or photophobia, is a common symptom of macular degeneration. Additionally, some people may experience sensitivity to changes in light. This presents itself as an increased sensitivity to darkening or lightening conditions. As a result, it may take individuals with this issue more time to adjust to changes in light.

Blind Spots in Vision

Small spots in your vision may become faded or completely blind in spots of your vision. This generally occurs in or around the center of your vision if it occurs as a result of macular degeneration.

Phantom Vision

Visual hallucinations, also known as phantom visions can be caused by macular degeneration. This may be due to macular changes stimulating the visual cortex. This is also called Charles Bonnet Syndrome. This condition can be very distressing to those who suffer from it.

Eccentric Vision

If your central vision is impaired, you may need to rely on your side or peripheral vision to see. This may cause you to turn in order to see things in front of you. This process is often referred to as eccentric viewing or fixation.

Types of Macular Degeneration

There are 3 main types of macular degeneration. Understanding what classification you suffer from will help you and your disability attorney when it comes to filing your insurance claim. Your doctors will work with you to determine the type of this condition you have. Identifying the type of macular degeneration will help the insurance company fully understand the impact of your condition. All 3 types can result in long-term disability.

Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration

This is the most common form of macular degeneration. About 80% of those living with AMD have Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Symptoms may not be present until 10 years or more after onset. The condition occurs when the macula undergoes atrophy. Over time, it gets thinner and weaker. This reduces overall function. Symptoms include a majority of those listed above.

Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessel growth leak fluids or blood into the macula. While Wet AMD can cause a wide assortment of symptoms, it is often classified by vision distortion and/or blind spots. Generally, these blind spots can appear as grey, red, or black. This condition can progress rapidly. Because of this, vision quality can degrade quickly.

Juvenile Macular Degeneration

Juvenile Macular Degeneration usually affects children and young adults. It is most common among those ages 6-20, but can occur later in life. It is a rare, genetic form of this condition. The most common symptoms include color fading, vision distortion, and light sensitivity.

Diagnosing Macular Degeneration

In order to file a long-term disability claim for macular degeneration, you will need to show proof of your condition. Therefore, a proper diagnosis is needed. Generally, your ophthalmologist or optometrist would provide such a diagnosis. An eye exam usually includes dialing the eyes, which helps the doctor look for damage to the macula or retina. Additionally, there are a number of other tests that an eye doctor can administer to help identify and diagnose your condition.

Amsler Grid Test

The Amsler Grid is a test where the patient looks at a special grid, like the one shown here. The grid features horizontal & vertical lines with a thick dot in the middle. If you are suffering from macular degeneration, some lines may appear distorted, broken, or faded. While you may not notice slight blurs in your vision on a day-to-day basis, this test helps make it more apparent to you.

Fluorescein Angiography

This type of test helps identify the type of macular degeneration you are suffering from. It is most often employed if the eye doctor suspects that you have Wet AMD. For the test, your doctor will inject a special dye into your eye and then look at it under magnification. Photos under magnification will show if the blood vessels are leaking into the macula.

Indocyanine Green Angiography

This test is similar to Fluorescein Angiography and is usually performed after it. Indocyanine Green Angiography also uses an injection of dye into the eye to confirm findings of macular degeneration.

Optical Coherence Tomography

With this form of test, the eye doctor scans the retina with light rays to create an image. The image can help the doctor identify changes to the macula, such as changes in thickness, warping, etc. This can provide proof of macular degeneration.

Objective documentation of your condition from the Tomography or Angiography tests can be vital in confirming your diagnosis. These tests can also be important in building your long-term disability claim.

What is Appropriate Treatment for Macular Degeneration?

When filing a long-term disability insurance claim, the insurance company will likely require proof that you are seeking “appropriate treatment” for your condition. Also, they will often require proof that you are continuing treatment while collecting benefits. Otherwise, they may terminate your benefits. Because of this, it is important to follow your doctor’s recommendations and comply with treatment.

Treating Dry AMD

While there is no cure for Dry AMD, proper treatment can slow your vision loss. Regular check-ups with the eye doctor are important in tracking progression and following up on treatment. Studies have shown that some vitamins and minerals (Vitamins C & E, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Zinc, and Copper) can slow degeneration. Generally, your ophthalmologist can tell you if these may help you. Not all forms of Dry AMD can benefit from supplements in this way. There are also other treatments that your doctor may recommend to help treat your macular degeneration.

Low Vision Rehabilitation

Low Vision Rehabilitation is a form of occupational therapy. This treatment is meant to help you adapt to central vision loss and distortion so that you can improve your quality of life despite your condition.

Implantable Telescopes

For some with Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration, an implantable telescope may be recommended. This treatment involves the implantation of a telescopic lens into one of your eyes. This helps magnify your vision. Overall, this treatment can improve both close-up and distance sight. However, it is often not corrective enough to recommend driving. This is because it also reduces your field of vision.

Treating Wet AMD

Treating the progression of Wet AMD can be difficult because of how rapidly vision loss occurs. Because of this, treatment must happen quickly. Beginning treatment often includes medication that helps stop the growth of abnormal blood vessels. The medications are injected into the eye, and repeat treatments are often needed.

Photodynamic Therapy

In this treatment, a photosensitive medication is injected into your arm, then a laser is used on your eyes. The laser activates the medication as it travels through the abnormal vessels in the eye, helping them close and reduce leakage. This treatment may need to be repeated every few months. A doctor may recommend this treatment if the position of the abnormal blood vessels is advantageous for the therapy.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy uses a high-energy beam to treat and seal abnormal blood vessels in the macula. While this can potentially cause scarring that forms blind spots, it can reduce further macula damage overall.

Lifestyle Changes for Wet & Dry AMD

While the above treatments were specific to Dry or Wet AMD, the following may be recommended for either. Generally, making healthier lifestyle changes can improve your health and overall condition, regardless of your type of macular degeneration. Eating a healthier diet can contribute to eye health. Studies recommend a diet of foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins, zinc, and unsaturated fats. In addition to dieting, regular exercise can be important in improving overall health.

Quitting smoking can also greatly improve eye health, and reduce further complications from macular degeneration. Managing your comorbid conditions can also reduce your macular degeneration progression. This is especially true with conditions that reduce healing factors, such as diabetes.

While the above treatments were specific to Dry or Wet AMD, the following may be recommended for either. Generally, making healthier lifestyle changes can improve your health and overall condition, regardless of your type of macular degeneration. Eating a healthier diet can contribute to eye health. Studies recommend a diet of foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins, zinc, and unsaturated fats. In addition to dieting, regular exercise can be important in improving overall health.

Quitting smoking can also greatly improve eye health, and reduce further complications from macular degeneration. Managing your comorbid conditions can also reduce your macular degeneration progression. This is especially true with conditions that reduce healing factors, such as diabetes.

Inability To Work Because of Macular Degeneration

Macular Degeneration and the vision impairment it causes can significantly affect your ability to perform your work. It can interfere with the ability for you to do your work, or perform it safely. Furthermore, the stress of your condition can make it harder to concentrate on the tasks at hand. However, the insurance company may not understand the impact that your condition has on your daily life. This is why having a solid insurance claim is vital to securing your benefits. Your disability attorney will be able to help you compile evidence and build a claim that provides the insurance company with the information they need.

Degrading visual acuity and blurring vision can impact your ability to work. For example, you may have difficulty reading reports, or focusing on your computer screen because of your vision issues. This can reduce productivity and cause you to miss deadlines. Your degrading vision may mean that you cannot drive yourself to work, resulting in latenesses or missed days. Your disability attorney can help you produce a detailed narrative of how your condition impacts your ability to be productive at work.

In addition to your personal narrative, the opinions of your doctors can be a valuable asset in proving your disability. The insurance company may ask for supporting reports from your doctor(s). For Macular Degeneration, reports from your eye doctors can be key to ensuring your claim’s success. Additionally, a report from your primary care physician can also bolster support.

Can an Attorney Help Me Get Long-Term Disability for Macular Degeneration?

If you are looking to file a long-term disability claim for your condition, you should seek out an experienced attorney. At D’Agostino & Associates, we help people living with disabling conditions such as Macular Degeneration file long-term disability claims. We help you through the process step by step to help you build a strong case. Our law team is here for you.

At D’Agostino & Associates, our team of lawyers can help you sort through all the details, understand what you are entitled to, and fight to get what you deserve. D’Agostino & Associates P.C. has offices in New York and New Jersey. Contact us, or call us at 1-888-245-2924 to schedule a free consultation with our attorneys.