Macular dystrophy is a hereditary condition in which the macula degenerates. The macula is the part of your retina responsible for acute central vision, the vision one uses to read, watch television, and recognize faces.

Symptoms of macular dystrophy can range from minimal vision loss and disturbance of color vision to profound loss of reading and night vision. The most common types of macular dystrophies, which tend to appear early in life, are Best’s disease, Stargardt’s macular dystrophy, and bull’s eye maculopathy.

Considerable research is directed toward finding the hereditary cause of many types of macular dystrophies. With further research, it may be possible to develop medical treatments to prevent or slow the progression of macular dystrophy.

Low-vision devices can help affected individuals continue with many of the activities of daily life.

(c) 2007 The American Academy of Ophthalmology