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The macula is the part of the retina that distinguishes fine details at the center of the field of vision.

As we enlarge to a cross-section, macular degeneration is better seen as the partial breakdown of the insulating layer between the retina and the choroid layer of blood vessels behind the retina.

Review Date: 8/4/2023
Reviewed By: Franklin W. Lusby, MD, Ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La Jolla, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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