Q: My mother is developing age-related macular degeneration. She is scared that she won’t be able to read or drive. What is it exactly and what can we do about it? Thanks! — Stephen Y., Akron, Ohio A: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in the U.S. in folks age 60 and older. Around 11 million Americans contend with vision problems that range from blurring and blind spots in their central vision to severe vision loss, making reading, driving and recognizing faces impossible. This is caused by damage to the macula, a tiny oval area 1/4 of an inch wide in t…