Macular Disease

The Macular Disease Center, under the direction of Dr. Steven D. Schwartz, was created in 1994 in response to the growing national incidence of macular degeneration. The Center’s mission is threefold: provide high-quality patient care, utilizing standard and developing treatments; offer associated rehabilitation services, such as low-vision aids and counseling, in order to enhance quality of life for patients; and promote collaborative translational research between clinicians and basic science researchers into the cause of macular disease.

Patients with the atrophic or dry form of macular disease are evaluated and often considered for clinical trials, such as the stem cell programs, and their cases are followed at the Macular Disease Center in conjunction with services offered by the Vision Rehabilitation Center. Patients with the exudative or wet form of macular disease are diagnosed and treated with cutting-edge therapies. Treatment options for wet macular disease include therapy and participation in clinical studies that are matched to the patient’s disease status. A patient coordinator is available to answer questions and provide information on an ongoing basis.