### Genetic Link Between COVID-19 and Age-Related Macular Degeneration Researchers have discovered a genetic connection between the risk of COVID-19 infection and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss in people aged 50 and older. This connection involves variations in the PDGFB gene, which plays a role in the formation of new blood vessels and is associated with abnormal blood vessel changes seen in AMD. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, analyzed genetic data from over 16,000 people with AMD and more than 50,000 people with COVID-19, along with control groups. AMD is a condition where the macula, a part of the retina, gets damaged, leading to loss of central vision while peripheral vision remains intact. This makes it difficult to see fine details, such as the hands of a clock, although the numbers may still be visible. The findings support previous clinical studies indicating that individuals with AMD have a higher risk of COVID-19 infection and severe disease. Specifically, people with AMD have a 25% increased risk of respiratory failure or death due to COVID-19, which is higher than the risk associated with other factors like type 2 diabetes (21%) or obesity (13%). Boston University researcher Lindsay Farrer, PhD, emphasized that this increased risk may have a genetic basis, lending further credibility to the observed clinical correlations.