MACULAR DEGENERATION

Age related macular degeneration is the leading cause of visual impairment among 

persons age 75 and older.  It is the most common cause of new cases of visual 

impairment among those over age 65 (Prevent Blindness America, 1998 2000). 

More than 1.6 million people age 50 and over in the U.S. have late age related macular 

degeneration (involving geographic atrophy or neovascularization) (Prevent Blindness 

America, 2002). 

An estimated 5% of people age 65 and older in the U.S. have some visual impairment 

as a result of macular degeneration (National Advisory Eye Council, 1993).  Based on 

2000 population estimates, this represents approximately 1.7 million older persons. 

As the U.S. population ages, more elderly persons will become blind from macular 

degeneration than from glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy combined (National Advisory 

Eye Council, 1998, p.14). 

Conservatively, it is estimated that approximately 8 million persons worldwide are blind 

or severely visually impaired because of macular degeneration (World Health 

Organization, 1997d). 

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