[Age-related macular degeneration].

PURPOSE

Age-related macular degeneration is the commonest overall cause of irreversible blindness in patients aged 50 or over in the Western world.

CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND KEY POINTS

Because of the interaction of genetic and environmental origin, the pathogenesis of this affection remains imperfectly elucidated. The disease has been traditionally classified into early and late stages with its dry and wet forms. In association with fluorescein angiography, essential for diagnosis, green indocyanin angiography and optical coherence tomography made it possible to better know the clinical forms of the disease. Patients with age-related maculopathy should consider taking a dietary supplement such as that used in the age-related eye disease study. Exudative age-related macular degeneration is approached depending on the type and localisation of the choroidal new vessels. Laser photocoagulation has only been shown to be beneficial for extra and juxtafoveal classic lesions. Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin is effective in the management of eyes with subfoveal predominantly classic lesions. The encouraging results of new therapeutic with antiangiogenic aiming against vascular endothelial growth factor are a hope to preserve the sight of our patients.

FUTURE PROSPECTS AND PROJECTS

In the future, many therapeutics inhibiting neo-vessels will widen our therapeutic options in the treatment of exsudative age-related macular degeneration.