Final answer:
a) Advancing age. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is most commonly associated with advancing age, with cells in the macula dying, leading to vision loss.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most common cause of blindness in the Western hemisphere is age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This condition occurs when cells in the macula, a part of the eye responsible for central vision, die. It is primarily associated with advancing age. As the disease progresses, patients may experience a black spot in the center of their vision that grows outward.