Macular Degeneration is the most common cause of irreversible blindness in the Caucasian population. It is characterized by a breakdown of the central retina.
Patients with macular degeneration usually have central vision loss. Early on, this can cause a slight blurring of vision. As time progresses, the vision loss can be more profound.
There are treatments that can be done to slow down the progression of macular degeneration in certain patients with the disease. Your surgeon at the Washington Eye Institute can evaluate you to see if you are a candidate for those procedures.