Early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration: update and clinical review

• Published in: Clinical interventions in aging Vol. 12; pp. 1579 - 1587
• Main Authors: García Layana, Alfredo, Cabrera López, Francisco, García Arumí, José, Arias Barquet, Lluís, Ruiz Moreno, José María
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01.01.2017; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Age; Age-related macular degeneration; Aging; Atherosclerosis; Atrophy; Cadmium; Care and treatment; Classification; Diagnosis; early AMD; Envelliment; Eye diseases; Factors de risc en les malalties; Fatty acids; Health risk assessment; intermediate AMD; Macular degeneration; Melatonin; nutritional supplementation; Oftalmopaties; Ophthalmology; Pathogenesis; Photoreceptors; Polymorphism; Prevention; Retina; Review; Risk factors; Risk factors in diseases; Smoking; Zinc; Spain; risk factors; nutritional supplementation; early AMD; intermediate AMD; classification; age-related macular degeneration; prevention
• ISSN: 1178-1998; 1176-9092; 1178-1998
• DOI: 10.2147/CIA.S142685

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible central vision loss in developed countries. With the aging of population, AMD will become globally an increasingly important and prevalent disease worldwide. It is a complex disease whose etiology is associated with both genetic and environmental risk factors. An extensive decline in the quality of life and progressive need of daily living assistance resulting from AMD among those most severely affected highlights the essential role of preventive strategies, particularly advising patients to quit smoking. In addition, maintaining a healthy diet, controlling other risk factors (such as hypertension, obesity, and atherosclerosis), and the use of nutritional supplements (antioxidants) are recommendable. Genetic testing may be especially important in patients with a family history of AMD. Recently, unifying criteria for the clinical classification of AMD, defining no apparent aging changes; normal aging changes; and early, intermediate, and late AMD stages, are of value in predicting AMD risk of progression and in establishing recommendations for the diagnosis, therapeutic approach, and follow-up of patients. The present review is focused on early and intermediate AMD and presents a description of the clinical characteristics and ophthalmological findings for these stages, together with algorithms for the diagnosis and management of patients, which are easily applicable in daily clinical practice.