patients are more or less likely to respond to treatments, such anti-VEGF medication or complement inhibitors. However, there remain several challenges to using predictive tools which incorporate genetic variation in clinical practice. As well as our limited understanding of the way that different genetic variants and environmental factors interact to influence AMD risk, the single nucleotide polymorphisms which are common in the population have small effects on individual patients with AMD. Therefore, there is increasing interest in understanding the functional consequences of rare mutations, which often have more pronounced effects. Genetic testing to guide clinical management is not currently recommended. Stem cell transplant Cell based therapies using bone marrow stem cells as well as retinal pigment epithelial transplantation are being studied. A number of trials have occurred in humans with encouraging results. Genome editing CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing may be used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration caused by VEGFA. Scientists described an approach in which engineered lentiviruses are injected into the affected anatomical regions for transient editing that could reduce the area of choroidal neovascularization by 63% without inducing undesired off-target edits or anti-Cas9 immune responses. RPE and L-DOPA in amelioration of wet AMD The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) (see diagram) has an essential role in the eye. It secretes a large variety of factors including at least 22 proteins important in maintaining the structure, function and micro-environments on the two sides of the RPE. (The two sides of the RPE include the choroid side, where blood vessels form and bring nourishment to the eye, and the photoreceptor side, with rods and cones that receive light signals.) In particular, the RPE secretes vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) at its basement membrane, with the VEGF reaching the choriocapillaris to maintain proper blood vessel formation in the choroid region. Many factors, including genetic factors, hypoxia, oxidative stress and inflammatory stressors, may cause pathologic over-production of VEGF by the RPE. This over-production causes excess blood vessel formation in the choroid region (the choriocapillaris), which is a major cause of wet AMD. Artificial intelligence for prediction Research is exploring if artificial intelligence can help in predicting wet AMD early enough to make prevention possible. A study tested an AI model for predicting whether people with wet AMD in one eye would develop it in the other within six months. Compared to doctors and optometrists the AI model predicted the development more accurately. Other types