Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of decreased vision in the United States. It is a slowly progressive disease with a highly variable and unpredictable course. People with AMD do not go completely blind but get blurred central vision. When the disease is advanced, a person may not be able to read, see faces, drive or see the TV well, but they can live independently and do most daily tasks.
Macular degeneration is a disease of the retina.
The retina is a layer of nerve tissue that lines the back of the eye upon which light is focused. It is analogous to the film in a camera. The retina converts light into signals which are sent to the brain where vision is perceived. These changes occur only rarely in people under 50 and most commonly occur in people over age 60. The disease rarely occurs n people of other races.