Definition of Adult-Onset Vitelliform Foveomacular Dystrophy (AVMD)

Adult-onset vitelliform foveomacular dystrophy (AVMD) is an eye disorder that can cause progressive vision loss. AVMD damages the macula of the retina, an area that is responsible for sharp central vision. Symptoms of AVMD usually begin after age 40, but some affected people do not develop symptoms at all. When symptoms occur, they include the slow development of blurred and/or distorted vision that can progress to central vision loss over time. In the past, AVMD was believed to be mainly a genetic disorder, but more recent studies suggest that the genetic cause for most cases of AVMD has not been found.