Non-invasive monitoring of lipofuscin: an imaging technique predictive for age-related macular degeneration

Abstract

This paper outlines the progression of age-related macular degeneration in the eye and discusses the diagnostic approaches and therapies used currently to treat this disease. Age-related macular degeneration has a complicated pathophysiology involving genetic and environmental factors. This paper focuses its attention on the role of lipofuscin accumulation in this disease. Lipofuscin in the eye refers to the bisretinoid products of the visual cycle. While lipofuscin accumulation is normal in healthy eyes, the excessive accumulation causes retinal dysfunction. Lipofuscin accumulation has been linked heavily not only to age-related macular degeneration but also juvenile macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Best’s Villiform disease, and many others. New techniques in ophthalmic research have evaluated the role of lipofuscin accumulation in such retinal genetic diseases. This paper proposes an approach to apply techniques such as quantified autofluorescence imaging and high-powered liquid chromatography of bisretinoids in the eye to track the role of lipofuscin accumulation in the progression of age-related macular degeneration.