Focus on Macular Degeneration Research

Degeneration of the macula is the leading cause of legal blindness in people over fifty-five. The macula is used for most acute and detailed vision -- reading, driving, watching television, precise work, and recognising faces. However, this weakening of central vision does not necessarily affect colour and peripheral vision. Macular degeneration generally takes place over a gradual period and at different rates in each eye. Its causes are still unclear, but there exist two main types. ''Dry'' degeneration occurs when the macular tissues of the retina thin and disturb pigmentation, and ''wet'' includes bleeding and scar tissue. Though macular degeneration is usually age-related, there are forms that affect younger individuals, but the reasons behind those cases are not yet known. This new book provides state-of-the-art research results on this debilitating condition.