title: [The role of the vitreous in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration].
abstract: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the main cause of severe visual decease in elderly people in the industrialised countries. AMD is a multifactorial disease with only limited therapeutic options before anti-VEGF treatment was introduced. In spite of all the progress no long-term healing is possible. Actually, the vitreous is being investigated as a possible co-factor in the pathogenesis of AMD. Numerous authors demonstrated a higher incidence of vitreoretinal adhesion in exudative AMD by considering age, genetic and environmental factors. The essential question is whether the therapeutic release of vitreoretinal adhesion could affect the development and progress of AMD. Up to now only case reports and case series have demonstrated a positive effect on disease progress. An ongoing multicentre, prospective, comparative, randomised, double-blind clinical trial with enzymatic vitreolysis is now evaluting the effect of vitreoretinal release on the progress of AMD. The results are necessary to evaluate whether vitreoretinal release is a therapeutic option for the future.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Philipps-Universität Marburg. stefan.mennel@lycos.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mennel
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D014822:Vitreous Body