ABSTRACT
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), also known as
age-related maculopathy (ARM), is the leading cause of
blindness in the Western world (1). It is also the leading
cause of irreversible central vision loss in whites over 50
years of age in the United States (2). The disease affects
approximatelyeightmillionpeople in theUnitedStates (3);
its advanced formaffectsmore than1.75millionpeople (4).
