The median age of the population is increasing as the large swell in the population that occurred after World War II, the baby boomers, reach their 60s and eventually, their 70s and beyond In addition to the aging of this large segment of the population, people are living longer. As people live longer, we are seeing an increase in diseases and conditions associated primarily with older individuals: One of these conditions is macular degeneration This disorder involves a breakdown of the retirial cells in the fovea The fovea is located in an indentation called the macula. See the detailed image below. Compared to many other eye conditions, macular degeneration is particularly devastating to those with it for two reasons First, it affects central vision. Remember that whatever you are looking at directly is focused on the fovea This is the area where you usually have the greatest aculty. Second the disorder is, at this point, incurable. Laser techniques that attempt to stop the progression of the disorder do so often at the cost of a greater area of the visual field. Go to the link here in the Chapter 4 folder, "About macular degeneration? What are the two types of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) inudative and exudative atrophic and trophic foveal and peripheral wet and dry