The macula is an area of the light-sensitive retina in the center of the back of the eye. In the center of the macula is the fovea that contains densely packed photoreceptor cells which are necessary for seeing fine detail and providing sharp straight-ahead vision.

Macular Degeneration and Low Vision

Low vision due to macular degeneration can be considered an “invisible disability”. You cannot look at someone with this condition and tell how it has affected their vision. There is no way to understand how much their vision has become impaired unless you hand them something to read. Someone with macular degeneration will be able to walk to the mailbox with relative ease, but may not be able to read the mail.

 “I ca see the letters, but I cannot understand what I read. I have a blurry spot in what I am looking at. Some letters are faint or distorted while others come and go as I move my eyes. My brain has to fill in what my eyes are not able to see.”