AMD associated with lipoprotein build-up at back of retina

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a major cause of vision loss in the elderly and exists in two forms “wet” and “dry.”

In the “wet” form, abnormal blood vessels behind the retina grow into the macula, and can separate it from the rest of the retina leading to sight-threatening complications.

The “dry” form of the disease is much more common, but until recently was poorly understood. A leading research team in this area, led by Christine Curcio (University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, USA) summarizes current knowledge in a review published in the Journal of Lipid Research.

A build-up of lipoprotein particles at the back of the retina, similar to the build-up of cholesterol in coronary arteries, may play a key role in the development and progression of the “dry” form of age-related macular degeneration, show results from a review of recent research.

The current focus of Curcio and colleagues is Bruch’s membrane (the innermost layer of the choroid) and the retinal pigment epithelium, in particular the boundary between the retinal pigment epithelium and Bruch’s membrane.