Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (592 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Degenerative changes in the retina usually of older adults which results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field (the macula lutea) because of damage to the retina. It occurs in dry and wet forms.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Degeneration, Macular; Macular Degenerations; Macular Dystrophy; Dystrophy, Macular; Macular Dystrophies; Maculopathy; Maculopathies; Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Retinal Degeneration
- Narrower topics
- Geographic Atrophy; Macular Edema; Stargardt Disease; Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy; Wet Macular Degeneration
- See also
- Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy
Related concepts
- Retina
- Macula Lutea
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 34,886 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Macular Degeneration” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 10,720 of them (30.7%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2010-2019 with 13,521 records.
Reviews account for 5,047 records (14.5%) and meta-analyses for 605. Randomized controlled trials number 1,986 (5.7%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 3,353 |
| 2000-2009 | 7,292 |
| 2010-2019 | 13,521 |
| 2020 onward | 10,720 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 5,047 | 14.5% |
| Meta-analyses | 605 | 1.7% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 1,986 | 5.7% |
Method: PubMed query "Macular Degeneration"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in eye, ear, nose and throat
Eye, hearing, nose and throat studies rely on specialist tests (visual acuity, eye pressure, audiograms, scopes) and on patient-reported symptoms, which vary between people and with age. Some conditions improve without treatment, so comparison groups matter. Nothing on this page is advice about diagnosis or treatment; sudden loss of sight or hearing needs urgent care from a qualified clinician. Check how the outcome was tested, the age of the people studied and how long they were followed.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitochondrial dynamics and their role in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration: A comprehensive review | 2026 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 10 | cc by PMID 41935442 · DOI · PMC13089171 |
| Long-term functional synaptic integration of genome-edited retinal organoids in a primate model of macular degeneration | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 4 | cc by PMID 42365435 · DOI · PMC13555564 |
| AAV NRF2 gene therapy preserves retinal structure and function in rodent models of oxidative damage | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 4 | cc by PMID 41655020 · DOI · PMC13238944 |
Mitochondrial dynamics and their role in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration: A comprehensive review [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly and has a multifactorial etiology involving advanced age, genetic susceptibility, and environmental risk factors.
- Closing excerpt
- As the field advances, the integration of biomarker development and personalized approaches holds the potential to transform the clinical landscape of AMD by addressing the root causes of cellular dysfunction.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (201 words)
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly and has a multifactorial etiology involving advanced age, genetic susceptibility, and environmental risk factors. Accumulating evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction is a central pathogenic mechanism in AMD, particularly in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The RPE is critical for retinal homeostasis, and its high metabolic activity renders it vulnerable to age-related mitochondrial dysfunction. In AMD, the core processes of mitochondrial dynamics-fission, fusion, biogenesis, and mitophagy-are profoundly dysregulated, leading to a fragmented and dysfunctional mitochondrial network. This failure of quality control results in bioenergetic deficits, excessive oxidative stress, and the release of damage-associated molecular patterns that fuel chronic inflammation and complement-mediated damage. Experimental models and human tissue studies have strengthened the link between mitochondrial dysfunction and AMD pathology, revealing structural abnormalities, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage, and altered metabolic signatures. Therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondrial pathways, including mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, dynamic modulators, and enhancers of biogenesis and mitophagy, such as agents that restore defective mitophagosome formation, represent promising avenues for intervention. As the field advances, the integration of biomarker development and personalized approaches holds the potential to transform the clinical landscape of AMD by addressing the root causes of cellular dysfunction.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41935442 · DOI · PMC13089171
Long-term functional synaptic integration of genome-edited retinal organoids in a primate model of macular degeneration [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Retinal organoids represent a promising regenerative strategy for restoring vision in retinal degenerative diseases, but the capacity of host cone bipolar cells in the primate macula to rewire with transplanted photoreceptors has not been established.
- Closing excerpt
- Our results highlight ISL1-/- retinal organoids as a promising approach for central vision restoration in macular degeneration.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (197 words)
Retinal organoids represent a promising regenerative strategy for restoring vision in retinal degenerative diseases, but the capacity of host cone bipolar cells in the primate macula to rewire with transplanted photoreceptors has not been established. In this study, we transplanted genome-edited ISL1-/- human retinal organoids lacking ON-bipolar cells into an acute laser-induced macular photoreceptor ablation non-human primate model. Using immunohistochemistry, ultrastructural imaging, and focal macular electroretinography, we demonstrate that host rod and cone bipolar cells actively extend dendrites toward grafted photoreceptors and form synaptic contacts, with evidence of functional signal transmission in a subset of transplanted eyes. Longitudinal, per-eye analyses revealed that host ON-bipolar responses improved in two of four eyes with ISL1-/- graft by up to 21.6% and remained stable for up to 2 years post transplantation. Moreover, OFF-pathway connectivity showed potential progressive maturation, with delayed increase in d-wave after 13 months in one of those eyes. These findings provide the first demonstration of long-term anatomical host-graft synaptic integration in the primate macula, establishing that central cone bipolar circuits retain the capacity for durable rewiring with human stem-cell-derived grafts. Our results highlight ISL1-/- retinal organoids as a promising approach for central vision restoration in macular degeneration.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42365435 · DOI · PMC13555564
AAV NRF2 gene therapy preserves retinal structure and function in rodent models of oxidative damage [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Dry age-related macular degeneration is the most frequent cause of visual impairment in individuals over age 50 in developed countries.
- Closing excerpt
- AAV8/Best1-NRF2 may serve as an effective gene-agnostic therapy for diseases with oxidative stress, including dry age-related macular degeneration.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (194 words)
Dry age-related macular degeneration is the most frequent cause of visual impairment in individuals over age 50 in developed countries. It is characterized by deposits of oxidized proteins and lipids and results in progressive loss of high-acuity vision. One major risk factor is smoking, which causes oxidative stress in many tissues, including the eye. We previously showed that an adeno-associated viral vector expressing human NRF2 (AAV8/Best1-NRF2), a transcription factor that regulates responses to oxidative damage, slowed degeneration in mouse models of another blinding disorder, retinitis pigmentosa, which also includes oxidative stress. Here, our AAV8/Best1-NRF2 vector was tested in a model of oxidative stress wherein sodium iodate was injected systemically, as this is often used to model dry age-related macular degeneration. Sodium iodate causes acute oxidative damage to the retinal pigment epithelial cells, which provide support to the photoreceptor cells. In addition, this toxin ultimately leads to photoreceptor death. Subretinal injection of AAV8/Best1-NRF2 led to protection of the retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors, as well as preservation of visual function, in rat and mouse sodium iodate models. AAV8/Best1-NRF2 may serve as an effective gene-agnostic therapy for diseases with oxidative stress, including dry age-related macular degeneration.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41655020 · DOI · PMC13238944
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Global prevalence of age-related macular degeneration and disease burden projection for 2020 and 2040: a systematic review and meta-analysis [4]
- Research article The Complications of Myopia: A Review and Meta-Analysis [5]
- Research article Clinical risk factors for age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review and meta-analysis [6]
- Research article The natural history and prognosis of neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis [7]
- Research article The prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in Asians: a systematic review and meta-analysis [8]
- Research article Global prevalence of visual impairment associated with myopic macular degeneration and temporal trends from 2000 through 2050: systematic review, meta-analysis and modelling [9]
Full-text reviews on EvidenceLib
Open-access review articles about this topic, reproduced in full with authors, licence and references.
Topical Treatment for Retinal Degenerative Pathologies: A Systematic Review
Lăcrămioara Samoilă, Oliviu Voștinaru, Elena Dinte et al. · International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2023 · CC BY 4.0
References
- Chen KY, Chan HC, Lin WW, Chan CM. Mitochondrial dynamics and their role in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration: A comprehensive review. . 2026. PMID 41935442 · DOI · PMC13089171
- Ozaki A, Kawai A, Akiba R, Okayama S, Ohno N, Kajita K, et al.. Long-term functional synaptic integration of genome-edited retinal organoids in a primate model of macular degeneration. . 2026. PMID 42365435 · DOI · PMC13555564
- Gardner A, Wang S, Daniels A, Li D, Wu C, Lin L, et al.. AAV NRF2 gene therapy preserves retinal structure and function in rodent models of oxidative damage. . 2026. PMID 41655020 · DOI · PMC13238944
- Wong WL, Su X, Li X, Cheung CM, Klein R, Cheng CY, et al.. Global prevalence of age-related macular degeneration and disease burden projection for 2020 and 2040: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2014. PMID 25104651 · DOI
- Haarman AEG, Enthoven CA, Tideman JWL, Tedja MS, Verhoeven VJM, Klaver CCW. The Complications of Myopia: A Review and Meta-Analysis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2020. PMID 32347918 · DOI · PMC7401976
- Chakravarthy U, Wong TY, Fletcher A, Piault E, Evans C, Zlateva G, et al.. Clinical risk factors for age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Ophthalmol. 2010. PMID 21144031 · DOI · PMC3009619
- Wong TY, Chakravarthy U, Klein R, Mitchell P, Zlateva G, Buggage R, et al.. The natural history and prognosis of neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. Ophthalmology. 2008. PMID 17675159 · DOI
- Kawasaki R, Yasuda M, Song SJ, Chen SJ, Jonas JB, Wang JJ, et al.. The prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in Asians: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ophthalmology. 2010. PMID 20110127 · DOI
- Fricke TR, Jong M, Naidoo KS, Sankaridurg P, Naduvilath TJ, Ho SM, et al.. Global prevalence of visual impairment associated with myopic macular degeneration and temporal trends from 2000 through 2050: systematic review, meta-analysis and modelling. Br J Ophthalmol. 2018. PMID 29699985 · DOI · PMC6047154
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.