Dr. Keith Shuler, of Carolina Eye Associates, recently spoke to about 50 residents at Pinehurst Trace about macular degeneration

His educational talk was titled "What is Macular Degeneration?" He is a diabetic, retina and vitreous specialist

Shuler told the residents that "age-related macular degeneration is a medical condition usually occurring in adults 50 and over that can result in loss of central vision. It is caused by damage to the retina and can occur in both dry and wet forms."

He also presented information about the signs and symptoms of macular degeneration.

"The first signs of the condition are usually blurred vision, wavy appearance to straight lines, a dark patch in the middle of words as you read and worsening color vision," he said. "If your vision changes in any way, consult your eye or medical doctor.

"Have a complete eye exam every two years. If you have diabetes or a family history of eye disease, have you eyes checked at least once a year."

Anyone who would like more information on eye diseases can visit www.carolinaeye.com.