Role of Complement in the Onset of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive degenerative disease of the central retina and the leading cause of severe loss of central vision in people over age 50. Patients gradually lose central visual acuity, compromising their ability to read, write, drive, and recognize faces, all of which greatly impact daily life activities. Quality of life is significantly affected in these patients, and there are worse levels of depression as a result. AMD is a complex, multifactorial disease in which age and genetics, as well as environmental factors, all play a role in its development and progression. The mechanism by which these risk factors interact and converge towards AMD are not fully understood, and therefore, drug discovery is challenging, with no successful therapeutic attempt to prevent the development of this disease. In this review, we describe the pathophysiology of AMD and review the role of complement, which is a major risk factor in the development of AMD.