Nature and Nurture- Genes and Environment- Predict Onset and Progression of Macular Degeneration

Publication date: Available online 26 December 2013
Source:Progress in Retinal and Eye Research
Author(s): Lucia Sobrin , Johanna M. Seddon
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible visual loss in the developed world. Both environmental and genetic factors contribute to the development of disease. Among environmental factors, smoking, obesity and dietary factors including antioxidants and dietary fat intake most consistently affect initiation and progression of AMD. There are also several lines of evidence that link both cardiovascular and inflammatory biomarkers to AMD. The genetic etiology of AMD has been and continues to be an intense and fruitful area of investigation. Genome-wide association studies have revealed many common variants associated with AMD and sequencing is increasing our knowledge of how rare variants impact disease. Evidence for specific interactions between environmental, therapeutic and genetic factors is emerging and elucidating the mechanisms of this interplay remains a major challenge in the field. The knowledge of non-genetic, modifiable risk factors along with information about heritability and genetic risk variants for this disease acquired over the past 25 years have greatly improved patient management and our ability to predict which patients will develop or progress to advanced forms of AMD.