Macular degeneration is the major cause of poor vision amongst the elderly. The term refers to the deterioration of the tissues of the macula, that is the part of the retina that provide us with sharp central vision that gives us the ability to read.

The dry version of macular degeneration is actually the early stage of the disease. Although its exact cause is not known, it is believed to be caused by age and the thinning of the macular lining.

The main characteristic of dry macular degeneration is when drusen appears. Drusen are spots, yellowish in color, that are caused by deposits from the deteriorating tissue around the macula. Dry macular degeneration does not cause as severe vision loss as the wet version, but no definitive treatment has been found. Some studies have shown that certain vitamins may slow the progress of the degeneration.

A small percentage of dry macular degeneration will result in the more serious and vision threatening wet version. Wet or neovascular macular degeneration is most likely the body’s way of trying to repair dry macular degeneration. In the wet version, a new network of tiny blood vessels forms underneath the retina. These vessels leak blood and other fluids. The fluids damage the cells of the retina and causes blind spots in the central vision. After time the damage to the cells of the retina becomes so severe that complete vision loss is the result.

The wet version, however, does come in two categories. The most severe category is the classic. This type forms a distinctive set of vessels that appear as delineated lines beneath the retina. The leakage from these vessels is severe and thus causes the most damage to the retina. Complete blindness is usually the result of the classic type. The other category of neovascular macular degeneration is called the occult. In this version, the vessels are not as formed and leak less fluids. This, of course, results in less damage to the vision.