The Retinal Vasculature in Macular Degeneration

Abstract

A clear understanding of the pathogenesis of macular degeneration would be a major addition to our knowledge of pathology, and more important, would give us the possibility of a rational therapy. Past work on this subject has pointed to changes in the lamina vitrea and changes in the choriocapillaris as possible origins of the breakdown that occurs.^1-4Routine histological sections of the retina have failed to show any significant alteration in the retinal vascular system in relation to this disease process. Our population of aged persons has grown tremendously in the last few years and statistical studies have shown macular degeneration after age 65 to involve to some degree almost one third of all eyes studied.⁵Macular degeneration as seen in the early years of life on the basis of heredodegenerative disease is relatively a rarity. The macula does become involved in the generalized retinopathy of such conditions