Metabolomics: A Novel Tool for Investigating the Pathogenesis of Age-related Macular Degeneration

The global aim of this project is to expand the knowledge on the multifactorial pathogenesis of AMD. In addition to age, the multifactorial pathogenesis of AMD includes environmental and genetic risk factors. However, how these interact to promote progression remains largely unknown. AMD is a progressive retinal disease characterized by mostly asymptomatic early phases and progression to potentially blinding late forms (choroidal neovascularization or geographic atrophy). Individuals vary in their rate of progression, with some remaining stable for years. The reasons behind this variability, as well as the triggers and mechanisms of AMD progression, are not well understood. Currently, the standard of care for assessment of the risk of progression is solely based on fundus appearance, and is limited in its prediction ability. Our previous work showed that metabolomics enables the identification of specific plasma metabolomic profiles in AMD, which vary with the severity stages. The investigators hypothesize that the plasma and urinary metabolomic profile of subjects who progress over a five-year period (progressors) is distinct from those who remain at the same AMD severity stage (non-progressors). In this proposal, the investigators will follow our existing cohort over five years, comparing the metabolomic profiles of progressors to non-progressors.