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¹M.D. Special Kayseri Eye Hospital, Kayseri/TURKEY
²M.D. Professor, Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Kayseri/TURKEY Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness over 50 years old population. Yet its pathogenesis remains poorly understood, it's thought to be a multifactorial disease. The main risk factors are age, genetic predisposition, sunlight, smoking and malnutrition. Dietary ingredients in the retina try to protect the tissue by fighting oxidative stress and inflamation. Oxygen plays a major role in the oxidative stress. Normally oxygen is reducted by turning into water. When incomplet reduction is formed, reactive oxygen specieses (ROS) are occured. They are called free radicals and affect proteins, DNA and lipids. Antioxidants fight harmful effects of oxygen, control the free radicals, work on a fine balance between the formation and elimination of ROS. When this balance fails, oxidative stress occurs. Retina is the most affected tissue by oxidation because of its rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and oxygen. In this review the role of antioxidants in the etiology and progression of the age-related macular degeneration is discussed. Keywords : Age-related macular degeneration, oxidative stresss, micronutrition