Where is the macula?

The macula is located in the center of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. The retina instantly converts light, or an image, into electrical impulses. The retina then sends these impulses, or nerve signals, to the brain.
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly. This ailment involves the macula, which is the part of the retina which provides the sharpness and central vision needed for tasks such as sewing, driving, reading, etc. There are two forms of macular degeneration.They are the "dry" form and the "wet" or neovascular form.
In the dry form, the layer of macular cells that sense light become thinner and some cells break down. It is usually discovered by difficulty with reading. If one eye is affected, chances are that the other will be affected to some degree as well. This form of macular degeneration rarely causes the total loss of reading vision.

With the wet or neovascular form, new blood vessels grow under the macula and leaking fluid causes nearby cells to die. This produces significant vision difficulty. There may be blank spots in the field of vision or straight lines may appear to be wavy. If this continues untreated, more tissue can die within a matter of weeks or months. Once this damage has occurred, it cannot be repaired.
In some cases, AMD advances so slowly that people notice little change in their vision. In others, the disease progresses faster and may lead to a loss of vision in both eyes. AMD is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older.
AMD occurs in two forms: wet and dry.

Dry (atrophic) form: This type results from the gradual breakdown of cells in the macula, resulting in a gradual blurring of central vision. Multiple, small, round, yellow-white spots called drusen are the key identifiers for the dry type. The spots are located in the back of the eye at the level of the outer retina and are detected by examination of the retina with an ophthalmoscope
Wet (exudative or neovascular) form: In the wet form, newly created abnormal blood vessels grow under the center of the retina. These blood vessels leak, bleed, and scar the retina, distorting vision or destroying central vision. Vision distortion usually starts in one eye and may affect the other eye later.

Individuals with macular degeneration may first notice a blurring of central vision that is most apparent when performing visually detailed tasks such as reading and sewing. Blurred central vision may also make straight lines appear slightly distorted or warped. As the disease progresses, blind spots form within central vision.
Age-related macular degeneration may be influenced by a combination of environmental and genetic factors.
Patient with wet macular degeneration develop new blood vessels under the retina. This causes hemorrhage, swelling, and scar tissue but it can be treated with laser in some cases.
Dry macular degeneration,
although more common, typically results in a less severe, more gradual loss of vision.

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