Dry macular degeneration is a eye disease that affects the elderly population and can cause vision loss. Dry macular degeneration is marked by deterioration of the macula, which is in the center of the retina, responsible for the central field of vision.
Dry macular degeneration is one of two types of age-related macular degeneration. The other type — wet macular degeneration — is characterized by blood vessels that grow under the retina in the back of the eye, leaking blood and fluid. Dry macular degeneration is the more common form of the disease.
Dry macular degeneration may worsen your quality of life by causing blurred central vision or a blind spot in your central vision. You need clear central vision for many tasks, such as reading, driving and recognizing faces.