title: Genetics and age-related macular degeneration: a practical review for the clinician.
abstract: Age-related macular degeneration is a complex disease, with both genetic and environmental risk factors interacting in unknown ways. Currently, 52 gene variants within 34 loci have been significantly associated with age-related macular degeneration. Two well-studied major genes are complement factor H (CFH) and age-related maculopathy susceptibility 2 (ARMS2). There exist several commercially available tests that are proposed to stratify patients into high-risk and low-risk groups, as well as predict response to nutritional supplementation. However, at present, the bulk of the available peer-reviewed evidence suggests that genetic testing is more useful as a research tool than for clinical management of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Blake M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hampton
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Jaclyn L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kovach
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Milam A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Brantley
keywords: ARMS2; CFH; age-related macular degeneration; age-related maculopathy susceptibility 2; complement factor H; pharmacogenetics; vascular endothelial growth factor