Light as a Mediator of Acute and Chronic Retina Degeneration

In age-related macula dystrophy (AMD) and some forms of inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs), blindness is caused by the loss of photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. This process can be exacerbated by genetic and environmental risk factors, including exposure of the retina to bright light. Several light damage models have been developed and have proved to be powerful tools to study retinal degeneration. These models have enabled the investigation of common mechanisms of cell death and inflammation, as well as the identification of therapeutic targets and the assessment of potential new therapies against retinal degeneration. Here, we discuss the principal mechanisms of light-induced toxicity and highlight how this has been used in the development of therapeutic approaches to treat AMD and IRDs.