Definition

Noun: 1. An eye disease: A medical condition of the eye characterized by the progressive deterioration of the cells in the macula lutea, the central part of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed central vision. 2. A cause of vision impairment: This degeneration leads to blurred or distorted central vision, while peripheral (side) vision typically remains unaffected. It is a leading cause of vision loss and can result in legal blindness.

Usage Examples

• As a subject: often develops gradually and is more common in older adults.
• With a verb: The ophthalmologist diagnosed the patient with .
• With a modifier: Age-related (AMD) is the most prevalent form.

Advanced Usage

• "Dry" macular degeneration: The more common, slower-progressing form characterized by the thinning of the macula and the presence of drusen (yellow deposits).
  • Approximately 90% of cases are the dry form of macular degeneration.
• "Wet" macular degeneration: The less common but more severe form, involving the growth of abnormal, leaky blood vessels under the retina.
  • Wet macular degeneration requires prompt medical treatment to prevent rapid vision loss.

Variants and Related Words

• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): The full term specifying the most common type associated with aging.
• Maculopathy: A broader medical term for any disease of the macula, which includes macular degeneration.
• Degenerative: (Adjective) Relating to or involving degeneration, such as in "degenerative eye disease."

Synonyms

• Maculopathy (in a general medical context)
• AMD (Abbreviation for Age-related Macular Degeneration)

Note: There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs associated with this specific medical term.

Noun

1. eye disease caused by degeneration of the cells of the macula lutea and results in blurred vision; can cause blindness