Primary prevention of age related macular degeneration

doi:10.1136/bmj.39351.478924.BE

BMJ 2007;335:729 (13 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.39351.478924.BE (published 8 October 2007)

Editorials

Primary prevention of age related macular degeneration

Current evidence does not support a protective role for dietaryantioxidant vitamins

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

In this week's BMJ, Chong and colleagues present a systematicreview and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of dietary antioxidants,including supplements, in the primary prevention of age relatedmacular degeneration.¹

Age related macular degeneration is one of the most importantcauses of visual loss in older people. The number of peopleaffected will increase as populations age.² Two types of agerelated macular degeneration exist. Geographic atrophy is asharply demarcated area of depigmentation caused by atrophyof the retinal pigment epithelium; neovascular degenerationoccurs when new blood vessels grow under the retinal pigmentepithelium leading to haemorrhage and scarring. Age relatedmacular degeneration is diagnosed in people aged 50 or morewhen no other obvious cause for degeneration exists.

New treatments are being developed rapidly. In the past twoyears, intraocular injections of agents that interfere withangiogenesis have been licensed for use in this condition.³These bind . . . [Full text of this article]

Jennifer Evans, lecturer

International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT

jennifer.evans@lshtm.ac.uk

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Relevant Article

Dietary antioxidants and primary prevention of age related macular degeneration: systematic review and meta-analysis: Elaine W-T Chong, Tien Y Wong, Andreas J Kreis, Julie A Simpson, and Robyn H Guymer
BMJ 2007 335: 755. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]