[Age-related macular degeneration--new possibilities for prophylactic measures]

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of severely reduced vision in the Western World. The only treatment method previously available, thermal laser photocoagulation of choroidal neovascularization (CNV), has considerable limitations. More recently, new methods for prophylactic measures and therapy have been developed. A randomised pilot study has shown that prophylactic laser treatment of soft drusen maculopathy reduced the risk of exudative AMD significantly. Larger studies are in progress. A randomised and placebo controlled study of 3.600 patients for six years showed recently that a combination of antioxidants and zinc reduced the risk of severe AMD in patients with soft drusen maculopathy by 25%. Large, randomised and placebo controlled studies showed that photodynamic treatment of certain forms of CNV significantly reduced the risk of severe vision loss. Other methods, such as transpupillary thermotherapy, surgical treatment and pharmacological treatment are being further developed. Visual rehabilitation, using eccentric viewing, has been found successful.