[Position of the Retinological Society, the German Ophthalmological Society and the Professional Association of Ophthalmologists in Germany on the current therapeutic possibilities for neovascular age-related macular degeneration].

The basic conditions in the management of exudative age-related macular degeneration have changed considerably since the last statement of the German professional associations in 2006. While Pegaptanib was approved in Germany already in 2006 Ranibizumab was approved for the treatment of exudative macular degeneration in Germany in February 2007. More over the quality assurance regulations for the photodynamic treatment of choroidal neovascularizations with Verteporfin were modified including the treatment of occult lesions and implementing a simplified classification of extra- and subfoveal lesions. Consequently modification of the recommendations for the non-surgical treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration appeared inevitable.