Mayo Clinic Radio: Macular degeneration

Macular degeneration is a common eye disease and a leading cause of vision loss among people 50 and older. With macular degeneration, the center of your retina begins to deteriorate. This causes symptoms, such as blurred central vision or a blind spot in the center of the visual field. There are two types: wet macular degeneration and dry macular degeneration. Many people will first have the dry form, which can progress to the wet form in one or both eyes. In some people, age-related macular degeneration advances so slowly that vision loss does not occur for a long time. In others, the disease progresses faster and may lead to a loss of vision in one or both eyes. Early diagnosis and treatment can help patients maintain their vision.