Is AMD a genetic disease?
MD is not a classically inherited condition such as cystic fibrosis or hemophilia, but premature forms of macular degeneration have been well characterized in some families. No one gene is responsible the pathogenesis of AMD, but there appears to be a genetic predisposition to its development in some individuals and families.Because of its manifestation later in life, determining the precise role of genes in AMD is a difficult biologic challenge.There are probably many genes that contribute to the development of AMD, but the precise genes and their interaction with environmental factors remain largely a mystery.
