CHOROIDAL CIRCULATION & AGE RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

描述（申请人的描述）：视网膜相关性黄斑变性（AMD） 是美国65岁以上人群失明的主要原因 States.大约10%的美国人口将患上AMD， 可能患有更晚期的渗出性疾病，导致 严重的视力障碍发展的基本机制 这种疾病还不清楚。最常见的表现之一 然而，这种疾病的原因是沉积的物质， 从视网膜色素上皮细胞-布鲁赫膜上充分去除 接口.最近的几份报告和我们实验室的一些初步数据 提示AMD患者脉络膜循环异常。这些报告 是非常有趣的，因为这种循环提供所有的代谢物， 清除外层视网膜的所有废物。脉络膜异常 循环可能在导致积累的过程中发挥作用， 这些异常物质。此外，脉络膜血管供应减少 也可能导致外层视网膜缺血和缺氧， 与脉络膜新生血管的发展相关， AMD的并发症 该应用程序的主要目的是使用最先进的非侵入性 应用激光多普勒血流仪检测脉络膜血流 AMD中的血流及其调节是否异常， 脉络膜循环与发展脉络膜血管瘤的高风险相关。 新血管形成和AMD的更晚期和致盲阶段。更好的 对与AMD发展相关的机制的理解可以， 从长远来看，帮助我们设计新的治疗策略， 疾病此外，通过这次调查获得的知识可以 还有助于识别处于脉络膜疾病风险中的患者， 新血管形成，从而能够早期治疗。

DESCRIPTION (Applicant's Description): Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 65 in the United States. About 10 percent of the U.S. population will develop AMD and 1 percent may suffer from the more advanced, exudative form of the disease that leads to severe visual impairment. The basic mechanism involved in the development of this disease is not clearly understood. One of the most common manifestations of this disease, however, is the deposition of materials that are not adequately removed from the retinal pigment epithelium-Bruch's Membrane interface. Several recent reports and some preliminary data from our laboratory have suggested abnormalities of the choroidal circulation in AMD. These reports are of great interest because this circulation supplies all metabolites and removes all waste products from the outer retina. An abnormal choroidal circulation could have a role in the process that leads to the accumulation of these abnormal substances. In addition, a decreased choroidal vascular supply could also lead to ischemia and hypoxia of the outer retina and this could be associated with the development of choroidal neovascularization, a blinding complication of AMD. The main aim of this application is to use the state-of-the-art non-invasive technique of laser Doppler flowmetry to investigate whether choroidal blood flow and its regulation are abnormal in AMD, and whether a more abnormal choroidal circulation is associated with a higher risk of developing choroidal neovascularization and the more advanced and blinding stages of AMD. A better understanding of the mechanisms associated with the development of AMD could, in the long run, help us devise new treatment strategies for this devastating disease. In addition, the knowledge gained through this investigation could also help in the identification of patients at risk of developing choroidal neovascularization, thus enabling earlier treatment.