The Pathogenesis of Age-related Macular Degeneration

FOR THE PAST CENTURY, THE PATHOGENESIS OF AGE-related macular degeneration (AMD) has remained unclear. Treatments developed over the past two decades focus on late-stage disease, where our knowledge is most comprehensive. Understanding the first stages of AMD may allow us to develop interventions earlier in the disease and save vision.The etiology of AMD, I believe, is largely attributable to impairment of choroidal perfusion. Atherosclerosis increases scleral rigidity. Scleral rigidity, in turn, interferes with choroidal venous drainage of retinal lipoproteins; and, finally, the accumulation of these lipoproteins is responsible for the retinal damage seen in early AMD. Progression to the neovascular form results from angio-genic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Photoreceptor loss occurs in geographic atrophy and neovascular AMD secondary to apoptosis and necrosis.

作 者：

EPHRAIM FRIEDMAN

刊 名：

American Journal of Ophthalmology 

年，卷(期)：

2008vol.146(no.3) 

分类号：

 

关键词：

Macular degeneration  Age, NOS  plastic property - rigidity  Pathogenesis

正文语种：

eng 

基金项目：