The retina functions like film in a camera. The macula is the focal point for images, focused by the cornea and lens. It cannot yet be transplanted or replaced by an implant. If the macula doesn't function, corneal or cataract surgeries will not improve vision and new glasses may not help. Macular degeneration disrupts these functions.
Visual impairment ranges from mild to severe.
Even if the loss of central vision is severe, this condition never leads to total blindness. Photograph of the retina showing macular degeneration Image blurred in the middle Looking at the image to the left, you can see the center is blurred. However, good vision remains around the sides. While this vision is not as sharp as reading vision, it can be used with special magnifiers for reading. This side vision can often decipher large print, and it will provide good vision for walking out of doors safely.