New diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for age-related macular degeneration

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common condition causing progressive visual impairment, leading to irreversible blindness. This condition is characterised by loss of central vision attributed to degenerative and neovascular changes that occur in the neural retina and the underlying choroid. Existing diagnostic tools for AMD are limited to clinical signs in the macula and the visual assessment of the patient. Currently, there are no known minimally-invasive biomarkers of relevance to AMD.