| There are two types of Macular Degeneration or | | | | the waste disposal system of the RPE or retinal |
| AMD. The first and more common type is the | | | | pigment epithelium cells starts to deteriorate and |
| Dry Macular Degeneration. 85% to 90% of the | | | | waste starts to accumulate in the RPE. Aging also |
| cases of AMD or Age-related macular | | | | dramatically contributes to this accumulation. Soon, |
| degeneration are of the dry or atrophic type. It is | | | | the normal function of the RPE is disrupted and |
| also a fact that most cases of age-related | | | | the light-sensitive cells of the macula begin to |
| macular degeneration always starts out as the | | | | degenerate. |
| dry form. | | | | Victims with the dry form of Macular |
| Dry macular degeneration occurs when the RPE | | | | Degeneration or AMD may have good central |
| or retinal pigment epithelium cells begin to atrophy | | | | vision, probably 20/40 or better. However, they |
| (deteriorate) and lose their pigment. This | | | | may experience considerable functional limitations |
| deterioration is associated with the formation of | | | | such as difficulty reading, limited vision at night and |
| small yellow deposits under the macula, known as | | | | blurred vision. Others may notice little or no |
| Drusen. This leads to the contraction and drying | | | | change at all in their vision. However, thinning of |
| out of the macula impairing its main function. Only | | | | the RPE may progress to a point where it totally |
| one eye may be initially affected but in most | | | | disappears affecting the overlying cones and rods |
| cases, both eyes eventually become involved. | | | | which may result in complete loss of the central |
| When people develop dry macular degeneration, | | | | vision. |