AMD is a leading cause of severe vision impairment in older people.
288
million
The prevalence of AMD is anticipated to increase worldwide to 288 million individuals by 2040. [1]
30%
from 2% for those ages 50-59, to nearly 30% for those over the age of 75
100%
100% impact: AMD causes vision impairment, reducedlity of life.
What is AMD?
Risk factors of AMD?
Smoking, increasing age, increasing total serum cholesterol levels, and obesity were identified as key risk factors for dry AMD. Current smokers were 5.32 to 6.65 times more likely to develop dry AMD versus nonsmokers. Increasing age was consistently identified as a risk factor for dry or late AMD across geographic areas. For total serum cholesterol, the odds ratio (OR) for dry AMD risk was 1.08 per 10-mg/dL increase (95% CI, 1.00–1.15; P = 0.04) based on pooled data from 3 population-based cohort studies. [3]
Ageing
Time Outdoors
Time Outdoors is one of the other major causal risk factors for myopia. There is considerable evidence showing that increased time outdoors delays the onset of myopia. It may also slow the progression of myopia.[2]
Diet
Sleep
Dietary change could have contributed to the increased prevalence of myopia, and this argument may involve to insulin resistance, chronic yperinsulinemia, increased circulating IGF-1, decreased circulating growth hormone.
Treatment for AMD
Researchers at the National Eye Institute tested whether taking nutritional supplements could protect against AMD in the Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS and AREDS2). They found that daily intake of certain high-dose vitamins and minerals can slow progression of the disease in people who have intermediate AMD, and those who have late AMD in one eye.
The first AREDS trial showed that a combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, zinc, and copper can reduce the risk of late AMD by 25 percent. The AREDS2 trial tested whether this formulation could be improved by adding lutein, zeaxanthin or omega-3 fatty acids. The AREDS2 trial found that replacing beta-carotene with a 5-to-1 mixture of lutein and zeaxanthin may help further reduce the risk of late AMD. Moreover, while beta-carotene has been linked to an increased risk of lung cancer in current and former smokers, lutein and zeaxanthin appear to be safe regardless of smoking status. [2]
AREDS2: The Most Study Formular for AMD
The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) and AREDS2 are major clinical trials sponsored by the National Eye Institute. The AREDS studies were designed to learn more about the natural history and risk factors of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataract and to evaluate the effect of vitamins on the progression of these eye diseases. [4]
2001: The First Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS)
NEI researchers concluded their first five-year clinical Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS)
2013: AREDS2, the 2nd Age Related Eye Disease Study
2021: AREDS2 10-Year Follow-On Study
New data confirmed that the AREDS2 formula has a persistent long-term benefit for helping to reduce the risk of progression in patients with moderate-to-advanced AMD.
Today, the NEI recommends the AREDS 2 formula for helping to reduce the risk of progression in moderate to advanced AMD, which contains
2001: The First Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS)
NEI researchers concluded their first five-year clinical Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS)
4757
Study participants ages 55 to 80 years, with and without AMD.
19%
25%
10 years
Reference:
[1] Age-Related Macular Degeneration A Review.
[2] NEI. Age-Related Macular Degeneration What You Should Know.
[3] Clinical Therapeutics. 2021. Global Burden of Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Targeted Literature Review.
[4] NEI. https://www.nei.nih.gov/research/clinical-trials/age-related-eye-disease-studies-aredsareds2