What a Person with Macular Degeneration Sees Joan W Miller, MD

Welcome to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation where you can learn about this disease, find valuable resources and help conquer macular degeneration.

Founded on June 1, 1996

Few people are aware that macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease and that it is the leading cause of vision loss for those aged 55 and older in the United States, affecting more than 10 million Americans.

Macular degeneration is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina, the inside back layer of the eye that records the images we see and sends them via the optic nerve from the eye to the brain. The retina's central portion, known as the macula, is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye, and it controls our ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and see objects in fine detail.

As people age, their chances for developing eye diseases increase dramatically. Unfortunately, the specific factors that cause macular degeneration are not conclusively known and research into this little-understood disease is limited by insufficient funding.

The American Macular Degeneration Foundation is committed to the prevention and cure of macular degeneration and offers hope and support to those afflicted and their families. The Foundation is a voice in establishing the national research agenda for macular degeneration through promoting an alliance among the scientific community, government, and victims of the disease and their families to ensure the prevention and cure of the disease.

The AMDF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, publicly supported organization.

There are two basic types of macular degeneration: "dry" and "wet." Approximately 85% to 90% of the cases of macular degeneration are the "dry" (atrophic) type. Approximately 10-15% of the cases of macular degeneration are the "wet" (exudative) type.

The AMDF Web site offers many tools to help you better understand and cope with macular degeneration. We encourage you to visit our website, and contact us.

Mission: The American Macular Degeneration Foundation works for the prevention, treatment, and cure of macular degeneration through raising funds, educating the public and supporting scientific research.

Joan W Miller, MD
Chief and Chair of Ophthalmology
Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

If you had macular degeneration and you were looking at me now,

0:03 you would not be able to see my face, but you'd be able to make out my arms and shoulders, and it's somewhat disconcerting for patients.

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https://www.macular.org/

   • What a Person with Macular Degeneration Se...  

American Macular Degeneration Foundation
P.O. Box 515
Northampton, Massachusetts 01061-0515
413.268.7660
1.888.MACULAR (1.888.622.8527)