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


BACKGROUND
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.


CONCLUSIONS
In the future, many therapeutics inhibiting neo-vessels will widen our therapeutic options in the treatment of exsudative age-related macular degeneration.
Parier
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Département universitaire d'ophtalmologie, centre hospitalier intercommunal de Créteil-universitaire Paris-12, 94010 Créteil, France. vincent.parier@chicreteil.fr
Soubrane
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D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000187:drug effects; D000077362:Verteporfin
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000077362:Verteporfin; C495058:pegaptanib; D000069579:Ranibizumab