Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of severe vision loss in the
elderly, is a complex disease that results from genetic modifications that increase
susceptibility to environmental exposures. Smoking, a major source of oxidative stress,
increases the incidence and severity of AMD, and antioxidants slow progression, suggesting
that oxidative stress plays a major role. Polymorphisms in the complement factor H (CFH)
gene that reduce activity of CFH increase the risk of AMD. In this study we demonstrate an …