It is caused by aging and thinning of the tissues of the macula. Vision loss is usually gradual. It results when abnormal blood vessels form at the back of the eye. These new blood vessels leak fluid or blood and blur central vision. Vision loss may be rapid and severe.
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. But when both eyes are affected, the loss of central vision may be noticed more quickly. Many people do not realize that they have a macular problem until blurred vision becomes obvious. Fluorescent dye is injected into your arm and your eye is photographed as the dye passes through the blood vessels in the back of the eye.