If you’re living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and have low vision, cooking may require some adjustments. Fortunately, you can take steps to stay safe while preparing the meals you enjoy.

AMD is an eye disease that damages the macula, which is in the center of the retina at the back of the eye. Both main types of AMD — dry and wet — affect central vision and reduce your ability to see what’s directly in front of you.

Symptoms of AMD include blurry vision, trouble seeing in low light, straight lines appearing wavy, changes in how colors look, and blind spots. If dry AMD develops into geographic atrophy or wet AMD, more serious vision changes can occur. Impaired central vision can make many daily activities difficult, including cooking.

Here are some cooking tips to help you or a loved one with AMD prepare food safely.

1. Keep Your Kitchen Well Organized and Well Lit

It’s always helpful to have an organized kitchen, but when you have low vision, it’s even more important. You may want to ask a family member, friend, or caregiver to help you organize your kitchen.

Keep items that you often use in the front of shelves. You may want to place large-print labels on drawers and cabinets so you can easily find the items you need. You can also use large-print or braille labels for food items.

It’s always helpful to have an organized kitchen, but when you have low vision, it’s even more important.

Avoid keeping spices and other cooking items above the stove. To prevent burns, store them where you don’t have to reach over a hot surface. Before you start food preparation, take any items you may need off the shelves and out of drawers. That way, you’ll have everything you need in a handy spot.

Your kitchen also needs to be well lit to help you see better. You may want to have a gooseneck or flexible-arm lamp on your countertop. These types of lamps are easy to point in any direction to make sure your workspace is brightly lit. A magnifier can also make it easier to see what you’re doing when preparing and cooking food.

2. Use Kitchenware With Contrasting Colors

Kitchenware with high-contrast colors can be easier to see. It can be helpful to have both a dark-colored cutting board and a light-colored or white cutting board. That way you can cut items such as onions or potatoes on the dark board and items such as carrots or tomatoes on the light board. Contrasting colors can also help with measuring spoons and measuring cups. For instance, it’s easier to see flour or sugar in a dark measuring cup.

Some sets of measuring spoons and measuring cups have a color for each size. This can help you identify which item you need.

3. Buy Precut, Frozen, or Canned Foods

You can avoid having to cut fruit and vegetables with a knife by buying precut, frozen, or canned produce. You can also purchase precut meat or chicken at many grocery stores. Butchers may be able to prepare meat and chicken to your specifications.

When using a knife, make sure to have the blade side down by gently rocking the knife on a cutting board so you don’t have to touch the blade, which can be dangerous. The sharp side of a knife is usually curved, and you can feel it if you rock the knife on the blade. Be sure to use knives with brightly colored handles so that you can clearly distinguish them from the blades.

4. Use Long Oven Mitts, Safety Glasses, and Other Safeguards

Wearing oven mitts that go up to your elbows can help protect you from burns. Kevlar gloves and finger guards can help protect you from both heat and cuts. Wear safety glasses while cooking to protect your eyes from splattering grease or anything else that might be harmful to your eyes.

Instead of cutting with a knife, use safer kitchen tools such as a peeler and chopper. Avoid wearing long sleeves or loose clothing while cooking so that your clothes don’t touch the food you’re preparing. Short sleeves are also safer around burners.

You can use bump dots — raised stickers — to mark temperatures on stovetop and oven dials to help ensure that you’re cooking at the appropriate temperature. Always place a pot or pan carefully on a burner before you turn it on. Turn the burner off before you remove a pot or pan.

5. Try Assistive Devices and Apps To Make Food Prep Easier

Many devices and apps are available to help people with vision loss. Here are some digital gadgets and apps that can help with low-vision cooking:

• A “talking” timer, thermometer, scale, or microwave
• A liquid level indicator that lets you know when liquid reaches the top of a container
• A boil alert disk that rattles when a pot starts boiling
• Text reader apps or virtual assistants such as Google or Alexa to read out recipes or cookbook pages and to record grocery lists
• Barcode label makers that can also read labels out loud
• Be My Eyes app and organization to connect you with a sighted volunteer if you need help while cooking, such as checking the temperature on your stove

You can learn more about kitchen tools that are helpful for people with vision loss at The Blind Kitchen, which offers videos that demonstrate various gadgets.

6. Plan Your Meals Ahead

Planning meals and shopping carefully can also help you with cooking. Make sure your grocery list covers everything you need, including staples that you consistently use, such as paper towels, sponges, cooking oil, and spices.

Occupational therapy can help you learn to navigate your kitchen and handle cooking tasks safely and confidently.

If going food shopping is difficult, you may want to use a delivery service. Many grocery stores offer delivery, and some companies specialize in delivering groceries.

7. Consult an Occupational Therapist for Help

Occupational therapy can help you learn to navigate your kitchen and handle cooking tasks safely and confidently. An occupational therapist (OT) can work with you in your home to help you set up your kitchen space so that it’s as easy as possible for you to use. Low-vision OTs are trained specifically to help people with visual impairment with daily tasks like food prep.

Occupational therapy may be right for you if you need help learning to cook safely and comfortably. An OT can work with you to understand your particular needs and routines. They can also help you understand assistive technology that can make cooking easier.

Talk to your doctor about a referral for occupational therapy if you’re having difficulty cooking with vision loss. Occupational therapy can help you adjust better to a range of daily tasks throughout your home.

You may also benefit from low-vision rehabilitation, which you can discuss in more detail with your ophthalmology care team.

Find Your Team

On myAMDteam, people share their experiences with age-related macular degeneration, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Do you have cooking tips for people living with AMD? Have any devices or apps been especially helpful? Let others know in the comments below.