Management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration: current state-of-the-art care for optimizing visual outcomes and therapies in development

Abstract

Aniruddha Agarwal, William R Rhoades, Mostafa Hanout, Mohamed Kamel Soliman, Salman Sarwar, Mohammad Ali Sadiq, Yasir Jamal Sepah, Diana V Do, Quan Dong Nguyen Stanley M Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA Abstract: Contemporary management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has evolved significantly over the last few years. The goal of treatment is shifting from merely salvaging vision to maintaining a high quality of life. There have been significant breakthroughs in the identification of viable drug targets and gene therapies. Imaging tools with near-histological precision have enhanced our knowledge about pathophysiological mechanisms that play a role in vision loss due to AMD. Visual, social, and vocational rehabilitation are all important treatment goals. In this review, evidence from landmark clinical trials is summarized to elucidate the optimum modern-day management of neovascular AMD. Therapeutic strategies currently under development, such as gene therapy and personalized medicine, are also described. Keywords: AMD, neovascular AMD, choroidal neovascular membrane, pharmacogenomics, VEGF, low-vision rehabilitation, gene therapy