Macular degeneration is a deterioration or breakdown of the macula.  The macula is a small area in the retina at the back of the eye that allows you to see fine details clearly and perform activities such as reading and driving.  When the macula doesn't function correctly, your central vision can be affected by blurriness, dark areas or distortion.  Macular degeneration affects your ability to see near and far, and can make some activities like threading a needle or reading difficult or impossible.

Although macular degeneration reduces vision in the central part of the retina, it does not affect the eye's side or peripheral vision.  For example, you could see the outline of a clock but not be able to tell what time it is.

Many older people develop macular degeneration as part of the body's natural aging process.  There are different kinds of macular problems, but the most common is age-related macular degeneration.  Exactly why it develops is not known, and no treatment has been uniformly effective.  Macular degeneration is the leading cause of severe vision loss in people over 65.

The two most common types of age-related macular degeneration are "dry (atrophic) and "wet" (exudative):

Macular degeneration can cause different symptoms in different people.  The condition may be hardly noticeable in its early stages.  Sometimes only one eye loses vision while the other eye continues to see well for many years.

To help you adapt to lower vision levels, your ophthalmologist can prescribe optical devices or refer you to a low-vision specialist or center.  A wide range of support services and rehabilitation programs are also available to help people with macular degeneration maintain a satisfying lifestyle.

Because side vision is usually not affected, a person's remaining sight is very useful.  Often, people can continue with many of their favorite activities by using low-vision optical devices such as magnifying devices, closed-circuit television, large-print reading materials, and talking or computerized devices.