Are you dealing with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) but you love to travel? Do you worry about staying safe and having fun while traveling because of vision changes associated with AMD? Fortunately, travel is still possible for people with vision loss, but it takes some extra planning and support.

We’ll talk about what you can plan for ahead of time, special considerations for flying and driving, and what technology is available to make it all easier.

🗳️ Has having AMD affected how you travel?

Yes, I’ve modified my travel plans or frequency of travel.

No, I haven’t had to change anything about how I travel.

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Plan Ahead for a Successful Trip

One key to having successful trips with macular degeneration is to plan ahead. If you haven’t had an eye exam recently, get one before you leave. That way, you can make sure you have updated prescriptions for medications and corrective lenses, and you can talk to your ophthalmologist about what accommodations might make travel easier.

You can also do research on your destination before the trip. You might want to look for accessible hotels and restaurants, book accessible tours, or find large-print maps and guidebooks to make your travel easier.

Reach out to any airlines you’ll be traveling with, tour guides or companies, and even hotels to let them know about your diagnosis and how it affects you. You can also ask for relevant help, like early boarding on a plane or someone to help you navigate a bus or a train station.

Finally, make sure you have enough medication to make it through your whole trip. If you absolutely must get a refill while traveling, try and set this up ahead of time with your doctor. You may want to carry a letter from your doctor with your medication and lens prescription.

Flying With Macular Degeneration

If your trip involves air travel, you can ask for certain services that might be useful. You may not want all of these accommodations, but it’s good to know what’s available in case your needs change.

Airports offer services that will meet you when you arrive and assist you throughout your trip. This includes helping you if you have to change planes somewhere or if your itinerary changes.

It may also be helpful to look up the airport to understand how it’s laid out, as well as the gates your airline usually uses and their locations. While there’s no guarantee your flight will use one of these gates, knowing where you’ll likely need to go can be helpful. You can get all of this information online.

If you’re concerned about navigating security, TSA Cares is available in the United States. This program has a dedicated helpline and also offers additional aid at security.

Notify your airline about your vision issues both before you travel and on the day of your travel. They may be able to offer you advanced boarding as well as help you with accessing meals, finding the toilet, and stowing your carry-on luggage during your flight.

Driving and Other Transportation

If your trip involves driving or transportation by car or bus, here are some things to think about before you go.

First, make sure that you’re safe to drive. Even if you still drive around your home, you may not want to drive somewhere unfamiliar. This may be especially true if you’re going to a place where the road signs are different or if people there drive more aggressively.

Next, make sure you meet the vision requirements for driving. Different states and countries may have different standards for this. It’s possible you could qualify to drive in your hometown but not in your destination city.

If driving isn’t a good option for you but you still want to travel by road, consider asking a friend or family member to join you and do the driving. Alternatively, you might want to schedule a rideshare or look into public transportation at your destination.

If you decide to travel by bus, tell the driver about your low vision. They can let you know when it’s time to get off.

You might also be able to schedule a private tour. This may be more accessible and also tailored to your interests and needs.

Make Your Vacation Accessible

Most of your accessibility needs while traveling will depend on where you’re going and what you want to do while you’re there. Here are some ideas you might want to consider, if they’re relevant to you and your trip.

Consider some accessibility-focused travel tools. A portable cane or an AI-assisted smartcane could make navigation easier everywhere. Smartglasses can give you audible information about your environment so you don’t have to depend so much on your eyes.

There are other wearable AI-assisted devices and apps that help you navigate wherever you are, too. Some people find that they also want a portable magnifier, which can make everything from road signs to menus easier to read.

You may find that you need to take steps to protect your eyes when you’re traveling. Staying hydrated and using artificial tears whenever you need them, making sure you have screen-free time, and always having high-quality prescription sunglasses on hand can help keep your eyes healthy while you’re traveling.

Finally, plan for time to rest on your trip so you have time to care for yourself and don’t overwork your eyes.

Apps That Can Help

There are a variety of apps that help make travel accessible when you’re dealing with vision loss from AMD. These apps include:

• Screen reading apps so you don’t have to strain your eyes trying to see your phone screen
• Voice assistant apps for a way to navigate your phone without having to look at it
• Magnifying apps, with or without an extra light, to make it easier to see text on menus, guidebooks, and more
• AI apps that use your phone’s camera to do everything from identifying objects around you to audibly describing your current environment
• Map apps with GPS to help you figure out where you are and how to get where you want to go, some with audible directions
• Apps that connect you to real people, like interpreters or volunteers who can help you navigate a particular situation
• Apps that identify currency to tell you how much you’re handing over if you’re using paper money or coins you aren’t familiar with

It’s OK To Ask for Help

No matter where your travels take you, there are likely people who can help make your trip easier and more comfortable. Flight attendants, bus drivers, hotel staff, tour guides, and other hospitality professionals may be able to assist with your needs.

Don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it — helping travelers have a safe and enjoyable experience is part of their job.

If you develop new or worsening eye symptoms while traveling, such as blurred vision or other changes that concern you, seek medical care promptly. Don’t wait until you return home to get potentially serious symptoms evaluated.