RT Book, Section A1 Escano, Alisa K. A1 Washington, Casey S. A2 DiPiro, Joseph T. A2 Yee, Gary C. A2 Posey, L. Michael A2 Haines, Stuart T. A2 Nolin, Thomas D. A2 Ellingrod, Vicki SR Print(0) ID 1182453055 T1 Age-Related Macular Degeneration T2 Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach, 11e YR 2020 FD 2020 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9781260116816 LK accesspharmacy.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1182453055 RD 2024/03/28 AB KEY CONCEPTS The hallmark sign of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the development of drusen in the macula. Drusen are yellow deposits of lipids between the retinal pigment epithelial and Bruch’s membrane that can develop with age. AMD is identified as the leading cause of blindness in the industrialized world and a top cause of blindness worldwide. The two most important risk factors for AMD are age and smoking. The goal of treatment is to slow progression of AMD and prevent severe visual impairment or blindness. Smoking cessation is the main modifiable risk factor that will slow progression of AMD. Pharmacists and other health professionals can play a vital role in helping people stop smoking. Antioxidant vitamins and minerals may prevent cellular damage in the retina caused by the formation of free radicals through light absorption. Use may benefit patients the most with medium or large sized drusen and/or geographic atrophy in at least one eye. For most patients with wet AMD and choroidal neovascularization, the use of intravitreal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors and other inhibitor-like drugs have led to improvement in visual acuity. The appeal of the ranibizumab treat and extend (TREX) approach is the reduction of office visits and medication cost. VEGF inhibitors and antioxidant vitamins and minerals are the only pharmacologic therapies available that have been shown to improve and stabilize visual acuity in patients with intermediate to advanced AMD.