Neovascular Age Related Macular Degeneration

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Neovascularization

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a chronic eye disease that affects millions of people worldwide, and is the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 65. AMD affects the macula, which is the central part of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision, and can severely limit one's ability to drive, read, and recognize faces.

One of the most aggressive forms of AMD is known as neovascular AMD or "wet" AMD, which occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow in the back of the eye. These blood vessels can rupture and bleed, causing further damage to the macula and leading to rapid and severe vision loss. Although neovascular AMD accounts for only 10-15% of all AMD cases, it is responsible for 90% of all severe vision loss from the disease.

Treatment of Neovascular AMD

Treatment options for neovascular AMD can include laser surgery, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and intravitreal injections. Laser surgery is used to seal off leaking blood vessels, while PDT uses a light-sensitive drug to kill the abnormal blood vessels. Intravitreal injections are used to block blood vessel growth, seal off existing abnormal vessels, and reduce inflammation. All of these procedures can help to reduce vision loss from neovascular AMD.

The newest treatment option for neovascular AMD is anti-VEGF therapy, which is the use of a special type of drug to block the effects of VEGF, a protein responsible for abnormal blood vessel growth. Anti-VEGF therapy has been found to be extremely effective in halting further vision loss, and some studies have even shown improvement in vision.

Risk Factors for Neovascular AMD

There are a number of risk factors associated with neovascular AMD, including:

  • Advanced age: The risk of developing AMD increases with age. People over the age of 65 have the highest risk.
  • Smoking: Smoking doubles the risk of developing AMD.
  • Family history: Having family members with AMD increases the risk of developing the condition.
  • Race: Caucasians are at a higher risk of developing AMD than other races.
  • Gender: Women are more likely to develop AMD than men.
  • Diet: People who eat a diet low in fruits and vegetables are at a higher risk of developing AMD compared to those who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
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Related Questions

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below.The Italian banking system became the model for those North European nations that would achieve the greatest commercial success in the coming centuries, notably the Dutch, the English, and the Swedes. It was in Amsterdam, London and Stockholm that the next decisive wave of financial or innovation occurred, as the forerunners of modern central banks made their first appearance. The seventeenth century saw the foundation of three distinctly novel institutions that, in their differen in ways, were intended to serve a public as well as a private financial function. The Amsterdam Exchange Bank, i.e. the Wisselbank, was set up in 1609 to resolve the practical problems created for merchants by the circulation of multiple currencies in the United Provinces, where there were no fewer than fourteen different mints and copious quantities of foreign coins. By allowing merchants to set up accounts denominated in a standardized currency, the Exchange Bank pioneered the system of cheques and direct debits or transfers that we take for granted today. This allowed more and more commercial transactions to take place without the need for the sums involved to materialize in actual coins. Financial historians disagree as to how far the growth of banking after the seventeenth century can be credited with the acceleration of economic growth that began in Britain in the late eighteenth 20 5 century and then spread to Western Europe, North America and Australasia. But banks played a more important role in continental European industrialization than they did in England's.a) Where did the precursors of modern central banks make their first appearance? b) What practical problem was the Wisselbank required to resolve in its initial days?c) How did the Amsterdam Exchange Bank respond to the demand of the age? d) What are the points of disagreement among the financial historians with respect to growth of banking vis-a-vis growth of economy? e) Choose a suitable title for above composition.
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