The macula is a tiny area in middle of the retina. The macula has millions of light sensing cells that are responsible for the sharp central vision that we use for everyday activities such as reading and driving. Common symptoms include blurriness, darkness in the center of vision, and straight lines that may appear wavy. An Amsler grid may be used at home to check for these symptoms. The cause of the disease is not well understood at this time.
Macular degeneration advances very slowly in some people and has almost no effect on their vision.
For some the disease progresses more quickly and causes vision loss in one or both eyes. There are two forms of macular degeneration that may occur simultaneously. The vast majority of people have the dry form of the disease resulting from the slow breakdown of the cells in the macula. A small number of people have the wet form in which new, weak blood vessels grow and leak fluid under the macula. This can result in a rapid loss of vision.