Abstract: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is recognized as the leading cause of visual impairment among people over 60 years old. The main pathological feature of dry AMD is the degeneration and death of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), in while oxidative stress is the major cause of death of RPE. In the resistance of RPE to oxidative stress, autophagy plays a key role. Sustained oxidative stress can lead to dysfunction of autophagy, which can activate inflammasomes and cause inflammation, and finally exacerbate the damage of RPE. Dysregulated autophagy has a great impact on the development of AMD. (Int Rev Ophthalmol, 2021, 45: 341-345)

Key words: age-related macular degeneration, oxidative stress, autophagy