Macular degeneration is the physical disturbance of the center of the retina called the macula.
We use the macula for reading, driving, recognizing faces, watching television, and fine work. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness in people over age 55. Even with a loss of central vision, however, color vision and peripheral vision may remain clear. Vision loss usually occurs gradually and typically affects both eyes at different rates. The root causes of macular degeneration are still unknown.