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Macular degeneration is an eye condition in which the macula, a sensitive area in the retina responsible for central and detail vision, is damaged, often causing loss of central vision. Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of severe vision loss in the United States. Risk factors include increasing age, positive family history, cigarette smoking, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, female gender, and lighter iris colors.

Age-related macular degeneration is most common in people over 50, but can appear as early as age 40. Symptoms include:

• Blurred or fuzzy vision
• Straight lines, such as sentences on a page or telephone poles, appear wavy
• Blind spot in the center of vision
• Decreased ability to distinguish colors
• Difficulty seeing at a distance

There are two prevalent forms of macular degeneration: dry and wet. The dry form is seen most often; it usually progresses slowly and causes central vision loss. The wet form is rare and more severe. It may progress rapidly, causing significant central vision loss.

The clinical hallmark of macular degeneration is called druse (or drusen). These are yellow or whitish bumps in the retina and represent abnormal deposits. It is not known why these deposits occur. Other indicators of age-related macular degeneration include atrophy (wasting) and pigmentary (color) changes of the retina.

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