Reactive oxygen species (ROS) may contribute to the pathogenesis of
age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and they can be produced in the Fenton reaction catalyzed by Fe3+
ions. Therefore, altered homeostasis of
iron in the retina may be the source of ROS and its damage resulting in clinically detectable AMD symptoms. The results of some post mortem research indicate a higher concentration of
iron in AMD retinas in comparison with non-affected retinas, although those results do not determine whether
iron overload is the reason or a consequence of AMD. However, the results of some other research suggest that
iron may contribute to the pathogenesis of AMD. Those include increasing of macular
iron level with age, involvement of
iron in the pathogenesis of some degenerative diseases linked with AMD, upregulation of
transferrin in AMD, developing of AMD-like syndromes in mice deficient in
ceruloplasmin and hephaestin, association between polymorphism of the
iron homeostasis genes and AMD and others. Better understanding of the role of altered
iron homeostasis may be useful in prevention and curing of AMD.