Policies

Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains what information MacularBrief collects when you visit this website, why we collect it, how it is used, and the choices available to you. By using this site, you agree to the practices described here.

Who operates this site

MacularBrief is operated by [LEGAL ENTITY NAME], [MAILING ADDRESS]. For any question about this policy or about your information, contact privacy@macularbrief.com.

Information you give us directly

The only information you provide directly is what you enter into a form on this site. Currently that means:

• Email address, if you subscribe to our email updates.
• Message content and reply address, if you write to us.

We do not ask for your name, date of birth, address, phone number, insurance details, or any health information, and we ask that you do not send us details about your medical condition. This site is not a healthcare provider and is not equipped to receive, store, or protect protected health information.

Information collected automatically

Like most websites, our servers and analytics tools record certain technical information when you visit:

• IP address, which may be truncated or anonymized depending on the tool
• Browser type and version, operating system, and device category
• Pages viewed, time spent, and the page or search that referred you
• Approximate geographic region, derived from IP address, typically at city or state level

This information is used in aggregate to understand which content is useful and how the site performs. It is not used to build a profile about you as an identified individual.

Cookies and similar technologies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device. This site may use:

• Essential cookies, which allow basic site functions to work.
• Analytics cookies, which help us count visits and understand how pages are used.
• Advertising cookies, if and where we run advertising, which may be set by third-party advertising platforms to measure whether an ad led to a visit.

You can refuse or delete cookies through your browser settings. Doing so may affect how parts of the site function. Most browsers also offer a "Do Not Track" signal; there is currently no industry-standard response to that signal, and we do not alter our practices based on it.

Third-party services

We use third-party providers to operate this site. Depending on configuration, these may include a website host, an analytics provider, an email delivery service, and advertising platforms such as Google. These providers process data under their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them. We do not control how third parties use information they collect through their own technologies.

How we use your information

• To send you the email updates you requested, if you subscribed
• To respond to messages you send us
• To measure and improve site content and performance
• To measure the effectiveness of advertising, where we run it
• To protect the site against fraud, abuse, and technical problems
• To comply with legal obligations

What we do not do

Email and unsubscribing

If you subscribe, you will receive email from MacularBrief until you unsubscribe. Every email contains an unsubscribe link that works with one click and takes effect promptly. You may also email us to be removed. We honor the requirements of the U.S. CAN-SPAM Act, including accurate sender information, a functioning opt-out, and a valid physical postal address in each message.

Data retention

We keep subscriber email addresses until you unsubscribe or request deletion. Analytics data is retained according to the settings of the analytics provider, typically between 14 and 26 months. Correspondence is kept as long as needed to handle the matter and any follow-up.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or receive a copy of your personal information, and to object to or restrict certain processing.

California residents. Under the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended, you may request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information collected, request deletion, and opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information. We do not sell personal information as that term is defined. You will not be discriminated against for exercising any of these rights.

Other U.S. states. Residents of states with comprehensive privacy laws, including Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, and Texas among others, have comparable rights. We apply the same process to all such requests regardless of state.

To make a request, email privacy@macularbrief.com. We may need to verify your identity, which usually means confirming control of the email address associated with the request.

Children

This site is intended for adults and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.

Security

We use reasonable administrative and technical measures to protect the limited information we hold, including encrypted connections. No method of transmission or storage over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

International visitors

This site is operated for a United States audience, and information is processed in the United States. If you access the site from outside the U.S., you understand that your information will be transferred to and processed in the U.S., where data protection law may differ from that of your country.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the site changes or as law requires. The "last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will be noted on this page.

Terms of Service

These Terms of Service govern your access to and use of macularbrief.com. By using this site, you agree to them. If you do not agree, please do not use the site.

Who may use this site

You must be at least 18 years old to use this site or to submit any information through it. By using the site you represent that you meet that requirement.

What this site is

MacularBrief publishes general educational information about age-related macular degeneration and related eye health topics. It is a publisher, not a healthcare provider. Using this site does not create a doctor-patient relationship, a professional relationship of any kind, or any duty of care toward you.

Permitted use

You may read, print, and share the content on this site for your own personal, non-commercial use, including printing pages to bring to a medical appointment. You may not:

• Republish, sell, or redistribute content commercially without written permission
• Present the content as your own, or remove attribution and disclaimers
• Use automated systems to scrape, harvest, or overload the site
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the site or its systems
• Use the site for any unlawful purpose or in a way that harms others

Intellectual property

The text, layout, design, graphics, and compilation of content on this site are owned by the site operator or its licensors and are protected by United States and international copyright law. The MacularBrief name and logo are marks of the site operator. Third-party names, including organizations and products mentioned for informational purposes, belong to their respective owners; mention does not imply affiliation or endorsement in either direction.

Accuracy and currency of content

We make a genuine effort to describe published research accurately and to be clear about what is and is not established. Medicine changes. Treatments are approved, guidance is revised, and studies are superseded. Content on this site may become out of date, and we do not warrant that all information is complete, current, or free of error. Nothing here should be relied on as the final word on any clinical question.

External links

This site links to third-party websites, including government and nonprofit health organizations. Those sites are not under our control. We provide the links because we believe they are useful, but we are not responsible for their content, availability, accuracy, or privacy practices.

No warranties

This site and its content are provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the site will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the site operator and its contributors will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising out of or related to your use of this site or reliance on its content — including any decision you make about your health, your treatment, or any product. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations, in which case the limitation applies to the greatest extent permitted.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the site operator from any claim, demand, loss, or expense, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising from your misuse of the site or your violation of these Terms.

Email communications

If you subscribe to email updates, you consent to receive email from us at the address you provide. You can withdraw that consent at any time through the unsubscribe link in any message. Our email is subject to the same disclaimers as this site: it is general information, not medical advice.

Changes to these Terms

We may revise these Terms at any time by posting an updated version on this page. Your continued use after changes are posted constitutes acceptance. Check the "last updated" date at the top of this page.

Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of [STATE / JURISDICTION], without regard to its conflict-of-law rules. Any dispute will be brought in the courts located in [COUNTY, STATE], and you consent to that jurisdiction and venue.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, that provision will be limited or removed to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will stay in full force.

Contact

Questions about these Terms may be sent to contact@macularbrief.com.

Disclosure Agreement

This disclosure explains how MacularBrief is funded and what financial relationships may exist behind the content you read. It is provided in the spirit of the Federal Trade Commission's Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, and the FTC's guidance on disclosing material connections.

How this site makes money

Running a website costs money. MacularBrief may be supported by one or more of the following, and you should assume any of them could apply to any page unless stated otherwise:

• Affiliate commissions. Some outbound links may be affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the seller at no additional cost to you.
• Display or search advertising. Advertisements may appear on or lead to this site, sold through third-party networks.
• Sponsored content. If any content is paid for or materially influenced by a sponsor, it will be labeled clearly and conspicuously on that page.

What compensation does not buy

We commit to the following, and you may hold us to them:

• Compensation does not change how we describe the underlying research. Where a study found a narrow result, we say so, including when a wider claim would be more profitable.
• We do not publish fabricated testimonials, invented case studies, fictional physicians, or before-and-after imagery presented as real outcomes.
• We do not claim that any product cures, reverses, treats, or prevents macular degeneration or any other disease.
• We do not manufacture urgency — no fake countdowns, fake stock levels, or fake expiring offers.

We are not a medical authority

No one writing for this site is presented as your physician. Where content references clinical findings, it summarizes published research for a general audience. Summaries lose nuance by nature. Your eye doctor has your chart, your imaging, and your stage of disease; this website has none of those things.

FDA statement on dietary supplements

Statements on this site regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dietary supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Supplements are regulated differently from prescription drugs and are not required to demonstrate efficacy before sale.

Third-party products and services

Any product, service, provider, or organization referenced on this site is described for informational purposes. Reference is not an endorsement, a recommendation, or a guarantee of quality, safety, or results. We do not manufacture, sell, ship, or provide customer service for any product. Purchases are transactions between you and the seller, governed by that seller's own terms, refund policy, and privacy policy.

Individual results

Health outcomes vary widely between people. Age, stage of disease, genetics, other medical conditions, medications, and adherence all affect what happens. No outcome described in research or elsewhere on this site should be read as a prediction of what will happen to you.

Questions about a disclosure

If you want to know whether a specific page or link involves a financial relationship, ask us directly at contact@macularbrief.com and we will tell you.

Medical Disclaimer

This is information, not advice

All content on MacularBrief — text, graphics, tables, the Amsler grid, links, and email — is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it is not tailored to any individual's circumstances.

No doctor-patient relationship

Reading this site, subscribing to email updates, or contacting us does not create a doctor-patient relationship or any other professional relationship. We do not evaluate, diagnose, treat, or monitor anyone's condition.

Only a dilated eye exam can diagnose AMD

Age-related macular degeneration is diagnosed by a licensed eye care professional through examination of the retina, typically with dilation and often with imaging such as optical coherence tomography. An at-home Amsler grid is a monitoring aid, not a diagnostic test. A normal-looking grid does not rule out macular degeneration, and early AMD frequently produces no symptoms at all. Do not use anything on this site to conclude that you do or do not have an eye condition.

Do not delay care

Never disregard professional medical advice, and never delay seeking it, because of something you read on this site. If you think you have a medical problem, contact a qualified provider promptly. In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

Medications and supplements

Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any medication or dietary supplement based on this site. Supplement ingredients can interact with prescription drugs, can be inappropriate for people with certain conditions, and can carry risks at high doses. The zinc content of common eye-health formulations, for example, is not suitable for everyone. Bring the actual product label to your doctor or pharmacist and let them assess it against your full medication list.

Research summaries have limits

Where this site describes clinical research, it is summarizing published findings for a general audience. Summaries compress detail. A result that applied to a specific group of patients under specific conditions may not apply to you. Study findings are also superseded over time. Your provider is the right person to interpret what current evidence means for your particular situation.

No guarantee of outcomes

Nothing on this site guarantees, promises, or predicts any health result. We make no claim that any information, product, or approach described here will preserve, improve, restore, or protect anyone's vision. Individual results vary, and much about macular degeneration remains incompletely understood.

Accuracy and updates

We aim to reflect current published evidence and to correct errors when they are pointed out. We do not warrant that every statement is complete, current, or free of error. If you believe something here is wrong, please tell us at contact@macularbrief.com — corrections are welcome.

Assumption of risk

Your use of this site is at your own risk. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the site operator disclaims liability for any loss, injury, or damage arising from use of, or reliance on, any content published here.