What is Macular Degeneration?

Macular degeneration or macular disease is an eye disease of the retina where the central portion of the retina becomes damaged.  Central vision is the sharpest or clearest area of your vision and is required for activities such as reading, driving and anything that is visually demanding, whether far or near.
Macular disease is quite common and affects more people in the United States than either cataracts or glaucoma. In fact, macular disease is the most frequent cause of blindness for patients aged 55 and above in the United States and is estimated to affect over 10 million Americans in some fashion.
For more information, the American Macular Degeneration Foundation web site is a good resource. 
Sahana Vyas, M.D. is our retina and macula specialist.