Macular Degeneration Disease Glossary
Navigating a diagnosis of an age-related disease can be overwhelming, especially with all the new medical terms involved. Whether you're preparing for a doctor’s visit or simply want to better understand a macular degeneration diagnosis, this glossary serves as a quick reference to help you define and understand commonly used terms.
Macula
The portion of the eye at the center of the retina in the back of the eye that processes sharp, clear, straight-ahead vision. Damage to the macula results in blind spots and blurred or distorted vision.
Microglia
Brain cells that respond to any cell damage or foreign invaders that may appear in the environment. They can release chemicals that promote cell healing and those that are a key part of the immune response.
Mild cognitive impairment
A neurological condition in which a person experiences greater memory challenges or other cognitive symptoms than expected for their age but can still perform most daily activities. This condition can lead to dementia, but not all people with mild cognitive impairment will develop dementia.
Neovascular glaucoma
A type of secondary glaucoma that occurs when abnormal blood vessel growth blocks the eye’s fluid drainage channels and leads to increased eye pressure.
Neurodegeneration
Chronic, progressive cell damage that results in loss of brain cells.
Neurons
Nerve cells that receive and send messages within the brain and between the brain and the body.