[Age-related macular degeneration].
Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the occidental world. Patients suffering this process have an important reduction on their quality of life being handicapped to read, to write, to recognise faces of their friends, or even to watch the television. One of the main problems of that disease is the absence of an effective treatment able to revert the process. Laser treatment is only useful in a limited number of patients, and even in these cases recurrent lesions are frequent. These facts and the progressive ageing of our society establish the ARMD as one of the biggest aim of medical investigations for the next century, and currently is focus of attention in the most industrialised countries. One of the most promising pieces of research is focused in the investigation of the risk factors associated with the age-related macular degeneration, in order to achieve a prophylactic treatment avoiding its appearance. Diet elements such as fat ingestion or reduced antioxidant intakes are being investigated as some of these factors, what open a new possibility for a prophylactic treatment. Finally, research is looking for new therapeutic modalities such as selective radiotherapy in order to improve or maintain the vision of these patients.
Garcia Layana
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Departamento de Oftalmología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Navarra.
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001284:Atrophy; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000009:adverse effects; D018450:Disease Progression; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000473:pathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D015593:Retinal Drusen / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects
D004041:Dietary Fats
Degeneración macular asociada a la edad.