Both physicians and patients may have a lot of studying up to do when it comes to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness for people 55 and older projected to impact 288 million people by 2040.
As researchers have made significant strides in understanding the disease over the past decade, staying current with the latest advancements and treatment options can be challenging.
Fortunately, the most recent issue of the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) features a review on AMD co-authored by two world-renowned AMD experts from the John A. Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah.
Monika Fleckenstein, MD, and Steffen Schmitz-Valckenberg, MD, provide an up-to-date, evidence-based overview that outlines:
- Changes that occur in the eye during AMD
- Risk factors, including genetics and smoking
- Diagnosis
- Treatment options, from vitamins to procedures
Fleckenstein and Schmitz-Valckenberg are clinician-scientists dedicated to caring for and treating patients with AMD. Their work extends beyond their clinical practices as they have frequently published groundbreaking research on AMD. Both are key members of Moran’s Sharon Eccles Steele Center for Translational Medicine, which has developed potential new AMD therapies. Schmitz-Valckenberg additionally directs the Utah Retinal Reading Center at Moran.
