Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026
10:14
Ex Vivo OCT-Based Multimodal Imaging of Human Donor Eyes for Research into Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Published on: May 26, 2023
Cardiovascular Disease and Age-Related Macular Degeneration
R Theodore Smith1, Philip J Rosenfeld2
1From the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (R.T.S.), New York City, New York, USA.
American Journal of Ophthalmology
|May 14, 2026
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are linked, particularly high-risk CVDs impacting choroidal perfusion, which may drive subretinal drusenoid deposit (SDD) formation. Further research into these connections is crucial for patient care.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Cardiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading global cause of death.
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a primary cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly.
- Both CVD and AMD share risk factors like hypertension and smoking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and update the understanding of associations between CVD and AMD.
- To explore the specific links between subsets of CVD and AMD.
Main Methods:
- Evidence-based literature review.
- Analysis of authors' clinical experience.
- Synthesis of current research findings.
Main Results:
- A general association between CVD and AMD is not consistently demonstrated.
- Specific high-risk cardiovascular diseases (HRCVDs) are strongly associated with subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDDs), not soft drusen.
- Compromised choroidal perfusion due to HRCVDs is proposed as a mechanism for SDD formation, disrupting metabolic support to photoreceptors.
Conclusions:
- The link between SDDs and HRCVDs warrants further investigation, particularly in patients with AMD genetic risk alleles.
- Prospective studies are needed to identify clinical and genetic factors driving AMD progression.
- Disease models can guide referrals between ophthalmology and cardiology for comprehensive patient management.
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