The dry form of ARMD involves aging changes in the tissue that nourishes the retina, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). This layer of tissue lines the wall of the eye underneath the retina and is supplied by a network of blood vessels known as the choroid. An eye exam frequently reveals “yellowish” deposits in the RPE layer, known as drusen. The RPE may also show dark clumps known as RPE hyperpigmentation. Finally, the RPE may begin to degenerate to a point where patches of RPE begin to disappear; this is referred to as RPE atrophy (or geographic atrophy) and is responsible for most cases of visual loss associated with dry macular degeneration.
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The dry form of age-related macular degeneration often starts without symptoms. With the dry form, visual loss tends to be very gradual. Patients may note distortion, dark spots, or blind spots in their vision. Many individuals with dry macular degeneration may maintain excellent visual function for many years. However, those with large patches of RPE atrophy in the central macula may become legally blind from the dry form.​
