Age-related macular degeneration is the primary cause of blindness in older Americans.

US macular degeneration burden is based on statistical modeling and Medicare claims

Prevalence estimates for age-related macular degeneration in the US are usually based on the Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System. Disease numbers are generated using Bayesian meta-regression (a type of statistical modeling), which pulls together information from multiple sources, including Medicare claims.

People with blue eyes appear to be at elevated risk of developing macular degeneration, perhaps because more light can penetrate their eyes.

The macula is a small area in the center of the retina

This part of the eye—roughly the bullseye of the back of the eye—is responsible for processing the central vision of the eye. Degradation of the macula, formally called macular degeneration, leads to symptoms including blurred vision, the need for brighter lighting, and difficulty recognizing faces. The condition doesn't affect peripheral vision, but if you lose central vision, you can still be considered blind.

Wet macular degeneration affects 10%-15% of those with macular degeneration

This form of molecular degeneration refers to when excess blood vessels form in the back of the eye and damage the macula. If someone with this condition looks at straight lines, they will typically appear wavy or crooked.

Caucasians are at the greatest risk of developing macular degeneration

A 2016 analysis across ethnic groups found, among other things, that white participants had the highest incidence of the disease, followed by Chinese, Hispanic, and Black participants. This study did not answer why that may be the case.

World health experts expect more than 240 million global cases of AMD in 2030

The World Health Organization estimated in 2019 that by 2020 there would be roughly 195.6 million cases of age-related macular degeneration and projected that the number would continue to grow. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

As deposits build up under the eye, the retina bends with macular degeneration

The retina bends due to the accumulation of proteins and other materials beneath it. That's considered the milder "dry" form of macular degeneration. Another form, called "wet" macular degeneration, is caused by abnormal blood vessels leaking fluid into the eye, which can rapidly affect central vision.

Drusen are bumps under the retina that distort the vision of most macular degeneration patients

These yellow deposits are made up of proteins and lipids and come in a variety of sizes. They're common in people aged 50 and older, but amassing many of them is often a symptom of age-related macular degeneration—the most prevalent type of macular degeneration.

Photodynamic therapy is one current treatment for age-related macular degeneration

This laser-based treatment is used on advanced "wet" age-related macular degeneration patients, but it's now used less often than in the past because there are newer injection-based drugs to decrease abnormal blood vessel growth.

See the global blindness burden by cause and continent

These charts show the estimated number of people worldwide with blindness due to cataract, glaucoma, refractive disorders, age-related macular degeneration, malaria, river blindness, trachoma, and other causes.

There are more than 1,400 listed clinical trials for macular degeneration

The US database of clinical trials listed more than 1,400 macular degeneration trials in early 2026. That doesn't mean every trial is recruiting, but it does indicate there is significant interest in this medical condition.

Vitamins can slow macular degeneration

Research published in 2022 affirmed that vitamin formulations containing vitamins C and E, copper, zinc, lutein, and zeaxanthin—but no beta carotene—can enhance eye health and slow the progression of macular degeneration.

Targeting cholesterol metabolism may help address macular degeneration.

Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia and risks rise after age 65

Read this primer about Alzheimer's disease and learn what factors increase the risk of this form of dementia, including genetics, being a woman, and health conditions, including high blood pressure.

Stroke risk doubles each decade after age 55

While age is the greatest risk factor, genetics, diet, and overall health play a prominent role in determining individual stroke risk. Prevention focuses heavily on modifiable risk factors. High blood pressure is the single most important controllable risk factor, contributing to both types of stroke.

Watch patient stories describing life with macular degeneration

This video series features patients discussing their experiences with the disorder, family members describing caregiving, and other insights about the disease.

In a first, eye prosthesis has restored sight to macular generation patients

In a clinical trial, 27 of 32 participants with advanced macular degeneration regained enough vision to read books, food labels, and subway signs about a year after receiving a prosthetic retina device. This is the first device to restore functional vision to patients with incurable vision loss, though in this case they can only see in black and white, with no shades in between.

Aging is a complex biological process affecting our cells, tissues, and organs.

Millions of aging Americans are facing dementia or cognitive impairment—alone

An estimated 4.3 million people aged 55 or older who have cognitive impairment or dementia live alone in the US. The individuals facing these challenges are more likely to be women, people of color, and to generally be poorer and less educated than other older adults who are also living alone.

Usher Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, causes progressive hearing and vision loss, and people with the condition sometimes eventually become deaf and blind.

Alzheimer's in the United States is most prevalent in the South and the East.

Age-related hearing loss, known as presbycusis, is a top cause of hearing loss

This video walks through the biology of why presbycusis (prez-buh-kyoo-sis) occurs and its etiology. This type of hearing loss is gradual and typically starts with reductions in the ability to hear high-pitched sounds.

Why are kids increasingly diagnosed with myopia?

According to the World Health Organization, 40% of the world will have myopia—nearsightedness—by 2030. This NPR podcast episode details why people are being diagnosed with myopia at increasingly younger ages. Early onset myopia can lead to...

Visualizing cause of death over time in America

As people age, their life expectancy decreases, but the timing and speed of this decline have evolved over the years. Check out this chart which shows the shift in various causes of death of Americans over the last few decades. Data from the...

Mapping hearing loss in the US

Nearly 10% of Americans suffer from some degree of hearing loss, measured as the inability to hear sounds lower than 25 decibels. The incidence of hearing loss increases with age and is typically higher among men. Recent analysis produced a puzzling observation researchers can't quite explain: There's a larger incidence of hearing loss among rural populations than in urban centers. Explore the data with this map and explainer.

How aging degrades neural functioning in the brain over time

Aging affects the brain perhaps more than any other organ in the body. Throughout life, the brain experiences radical shifts in the number of neurons, synaptic connections between neurons, and hormone levels that regulate our mood and processing.

Five to ten percent of Alzheimer's cases are early-onset

Early-onset Alzheimer’s typically emerges around 40 to 50 years of age, with devastating effects. This video follows Brian, diagnosed with the disease at age 54, as he travels the country as an advocate for research and discusses the progressive mental fog of Alzheimer’s.

New eye implant clinical trial recruiting in 2026

University of Southern California researchers have launched a phase 2b clinical trial of a stem cell implant designed to restore vision in people with advanced dry macular degeneration. Patients will be randomized to receive the stem cell implant or a simulated procedure and placebo implant. This type of larger, second-stage clinical trial is designed to confirm efficacy and dosing and to look for side effects. It's one of the stages that precedes the US Food & Drug Administration approval of a device.

Inflammaging is chronic low-level inflammation as we age, and it may be a key disease driver

The term refers to the idea that largely invisible but consistent low-level inflammation as humans age fuels chronic diseases and cellular aging. Inflammaging, this article says, is due to lifestyle factors like poor sleep, low levels of activity, and poor diet, acting in concert to cause cellular damage and trigger inflammation.

External factors, not aging itself, lead to sleep loss in older adults

Though it is often believed that people need less sleep as they age, the recommended sleep guidelines for all adult age groups are almost identical. However, factors such as medication use, lack of physical activity, and loneliness can lead to sleep problems, and thereby lead older people to believe that they actually need less sleep than they do.

Aging results from the cumulative breakdown of cellular and tissue processes

A cumulative breakdown of cellular and tissue processes combines to result in decreased organ function, disrupting the systems driving normal human physiology. This five-minute video provides a primer on the subject, complete with a discussion of risk factors, cellular changes, and potential future treatments in the fight against aging.

The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, or age-related cartilage loss

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis. It's caused by cartilage loss within our joints as we age. This article is formatted specifically for patients. It provides easily digestible information on our most evidence-based understanding of osteoarthritis causes, symptoms, and treatments.

Changes in vision or eye pain can be early MS symptoms

This occurs due to myelin degradation around the optic nerve, impairing its ability to transmit visual information to the brain. Individuals may especially experience eye symptoms after exercising or taking a hot shower because boosted body temperatures slow down nerve function in nerves already damaged by MS.

Why vascular dementia develops

This type of dementia, the second most common form after Alzheimer's, develops due to microscopic bleeds and blood vessel blockages in the brain. The condition isn't curable but medications to help with blood clotting and high blood pressure are part of a suite of interventions designed to minimize damage to the brain.

Untreated hearing loss is linked with dementia risk

Hearing loss does not cause dementia, but it does increase the risk of developing dementia and research suggests that people who wear hearing aids for age-related hearing loss also maintain better brain function than those who don't.

Visualizing obesity rates across the US

Nearly 70% of adults in the US are either overweight or obese, rates that have tripled over the last 60 years. Severe cases have risen tenfold during this period. Factors like location, income level, and demographics contribute to various obesity levels across the US. Visualize the statistics with this article and chart series.

America's top causes of death are heart disease, cancer, accidents, and stroke

Heart disease killed more than 680,000 people in 2023 and cancer killed around 613,000 people that year. Both causes of death are far above the next leading cause of death—accidents, which numbered around 223,000. Provisional data for 2024 indicates the leading causes of death remained the same.

DNA damage and chemical stress causes cellular aging

While outward signs of aging, like gray hair and wrinkles, are easy to spot, aging changes at the cellular level are less obvious. The decline within cells stems from numerous sources, including DNA damage, oxidative stress, and accumulated waste.