Management of age-related macular degeneration

With the increase in life expectancy across the world, the magnitude of blindness due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is expected to rise. Exudative form is the major cause of visual loss from AMD. Several treatment options are available for this form of the disease. However, all treatment strategies aim at preservation of residual vision rather than regaining the lost vision. Two well-proven strategies are laser photocoagulation and photodynamic therapy. Other viable options are submacular surgery, transpupillary thermotherapy and pharmacological modalities like angiostatic-steroids. Oral anti-oxidants and zinc appear to be beneficial in preventing disease progression in early cases. Further research is on to explore more efficient treatments and to prove the safety and efficacy of large number of emerging newer treatment options.