Eye
Retina
Macular degeneration
Author: Nat Pernick, M.D.
Last author update: 1 February 2014
Last staff update: 24 December 2020
Copyright: 2004-2023, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Macular degeneration[title] retina [title]
Cite this page: Pernick N. Macular degeneration. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/eyeretinamaculardegeneration.html. Accessed September 26th, 2023.
Definition / general
- Age related (senile) macular degeneration is the most common cause of irreversible visual loss in US
- Causes loss of central portion of vision
- May be due to vascular disease in choriocapillaris and retinal pigment epithelium
- Non-disciform (atrophic, dry type) causes slow, bilateral visual loss in elderly with atrophy and degeneration of retinal pigment epithelium and choriocapillaris; also drusen
- Disciform (wet, exudative type) is associated with more severe and acute vision loss; often after non-disciform degenerative changes and due to hemorrhagic retinal detachment secondary to neovascularization, as vessels from choriocapillaris penetrate through Bruch membrane beneath the retinal pigment epithelium and leak fluid / blood which organizes into macular scars
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Small macular scars
