MACULAR DRUSEN - Macular drusen are localized deposits that are lodged between the retina and the layer underneath the retina called the retinal pigment epithelium. Drusen can be thought of as "backed up waste products" that the retinal pigment epithelium extrudes. They are a physical finding in age related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in people over 60 in the U.S. In some individuals, macular drusen may be inherited. When drusen are seen in individuals under the age of 50, they are often the inherited type.