Since effective treatment is available only for the very early stages of the disease, early detection is vital if vision loss from AMD is to be reduced. It is important for those at risk from AMD to be familiar with its symptoms. The macula is the central back portion of the retina, the light-sensitive nerve layer that lines the inner surface of the eye. Light rays from objects we look at are focused on the retina and converted into electrical impulses by the nerve cells in the retina. These electrical impulses are then conducted through the optic nerve to the brain where they are interpreted as visual images.
Central vision is important for reading, driving a car, and recognizing faces.
The macula can degenerate and cease to function properly in a number of eye conditions. This deterioration of the macula is called macular degeneration. The risk of developing AMD becomes greater as one gets older. There are two forms of AMD, dry and wet. It develops slowly and is characterized by death of critical cells in the macula.