Macular Degeneration is an age-related eye disease. This is a common disease that causes deterioration of the macula or the central area of the retina. The retina is a paper-thin tissue like structure at the back of the eye. The macula of the eye is responsible for processing sharp, clear, straight-ahead vision. When there is damage to the macula there is the development of blind spots and/or blurred vision. Due to this damage every day things such as walking and driving become difficult over time.

Macular Degeneration is not well known but it is one of the major causes of visual impairment in the United States. In people over the age of sixty it is the leading cause of blindness. There are various stages of macular degeneration and some people are affected worse than others. In the United States today, there are approximately 1.8 million people over the age of forty that are being affected by this disease in some way.

There are things that can increase your chances of getting macular degeneration. One of the leading causes is smoking. It has also been found that gender plays a role in who contracts this disease and who does not. Research has shown that women are more likely to suffer from macular degeneration than men are. The reasons for this have not been found however. If there is a person in your family who has this disease then there is a risk of future children having the disease as well. High cholesterol is also a contributing factor the onset of macular degeneration. In the United States today, more Caucasians suffer from this disease than African Americans. A poor diet can also play a role in the onset of macular degeneration. People who do not eat the proper amount of fruits and vegetables are more likely to suffer from this vision problem.