Med. praxi. 2012;9(11):432-434

Age-related macular degeneration - epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis and therapy

MUDr.Petr Kolář, Ph.D.

Oční klinika Lékařské fakulty Masarykovy univerzity a Fakultní nemocnice Brno

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the world‘s one of the main causes of practical blindness. The disease mainly affects patients

older than 60 years and its prevalence increases with aging. In developed countries, the any form of AMD affects up to 20 % of the population.

Advanced forms of the disease lead to practical blindness. The main symptoms are distorted vision, scotomas in the visual field

and decrease of visual acuity. The main risk factors for the disease are cigarette smoking, inadequate intake of antioxidants, hypertension,

genetic factors, excessive exposure to sunlight. For diagnosis of disease is required ophthalmic examination including fluorescein

angiography (FA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Supplementation with antioxidants slows disease progression. Treatment

of the disease includes the administration of anti-VEGF agents in the vitreous.

Keywords: age-related macular degeneration, cigarette smoking, genetic factors, antioxidants, anti-VEGF therapy

Published: December 1, 2012  Show citation