Management of the ageing macula

Abstract

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is responsible for the majority of registered blindness in the elderly. Laser photocoagulation can be offered asa treatment of proven value to only a proportion of patients with neovascular AMD. Clinically, our expectations must be tempered by the high incidence of recurrent subretinal vessels, the anatomic limitations of treatable lesions and the large number of ageing eyes for which there is no place for laser. In addition to improvements in education, referral habits and the application of laser therapy which may have an impact upon visual loss due to AMD, there are promising directions to be explored in alternative modes of treatment and prevention. © 1987, The Ophthalmological Society of the United Kingdom. All rights reserved.