[The role of antiangiogenic agents in age related macular degeneration]

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible visual loss in the elderly in the developed countries. Although the neovascular type accounts for only 10-15% of the total cases of AMD, it is responsible for 90% of the cases with severe vision loss. A main treatment target is to identify and destroy the newly formed choroidal vessels while preserving central vision. Laser photocoagulation and photodynamic therapy with verteporfin have been the mainstay of the treatment of neovascular membranes for some time. In the last decade, the development of antiangiogenic substances (anti-VEGF) and their application in ophthalmology in the treatment of neovascular AMD has marked a new, promising therapeutical approach. In the present, the antiangiogenic agents are the main therapeutic option for neovascular AMD. Some of them, like ranibizumab and bevacizumab, are used in clinical routine, others are in experimental research.