I wonder if macular degeneration is more common today? I think staring at computer screens is bad for the eye

The biggest single factor in the incidence of ARM today is almost certainly the increased chance of living a long life!

A secondary factor in the perception of its incidence is that it is getting a lot more publicity.
When there was no effective treatment, not that many years ago, there was really no point in proclaiming "macular degeneration" to people. Palliative care and work-arounds were managed largely on an individual basis.
Two things changed this.
One, the increased information on the importance of nutrition and specific anti-oxidants to the likelihood of macular disease, which needed advertising
Two, new *possibilities* of treating at least wet macular degeneration *in some cases*. To find these, again, increased public awareness was essential, even though it meant telling nine people out of ten that their type of macular degeneration was not currently treatable.

Staring at computer screen is not that really bad at all, but to be safe you can use anti-radiation glasses when staring at your computer screen.
Exposure to cigarette smoke more than doubles the risk of macular degeneration.

No there is NO evidence that staring at a computer can cause macular degeneration. It is a problem that effects mostly elderly people and is partly genetic and partly dependent on the general health of the individual. Diabetes and glaucoma can cause it computer screens do NOT.
Phil FBDO

Elderly people that are afflicted with ARMD have generally never even used a computer; so no, one does not have anything to do with the other.

Staring at your computer screen can be bad for your eyes, but it can be avoided if you have a glare coating and 100% UV protection on your lenses and if you remember to take frequent breaks from staring at the screen.

But ARMD and computer usage are not related.