Novel possibilities in treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration

[摘要] Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the most important cause of central vision lost in elderly. AMD is “wet” or “dry”, depending on choroidal neovascularization (CNV) presence. Currently, no treatment iz approved for geographic atrophy (GA), late form of “dry” AMD because of imposibillity to restore retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors. So, all earlier treatment only tried to slow down disease and spreading of GA. This review focuses on current data about potential targets for therapies evaluated in novel clinical trials. Novel diagnostic tools are available today for better monitoring of morfological changes in retina, RPE and choroid and spreading of atrophy zone. Several pathways, including oxidative stress, deposits of lipofuscin, chronic inflammation andchoroidal blood flow insufficiency, seem to play an important role in the pathogenesis of “dry” AMD and represent possible targets for new therapies. A great number of treatment for GA such as anti-inflammatory agents, neuroprotective agents and stem cells are under investigation with promising results in preliminary study, and only few will enter the market. Besides them we need to mention subtreshold and micropulse laser treatment with ability to revitalize tissue. We, also, used them on our Eye clinic with “short-term” follow-up and modest but encouraging results, so we need other studies with “long-term” follow-up.

[学科分类] 医学（综合）

[关键词] anti-inflammatory agents;geographic atrophy;macular degeneration;neuroprotective agents;retinal pigment epithelium;stem cells