According to research presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2025, patients who had psoriasis and were treated with biologic therapies had a 27% lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration compared to those who used only topical corticosteroids. Psoriasis was also associated with significantly higher AMD risk compared to control groups—56% higher than patients with major depressive disorder and 21% higher than those with melanocytic nevi. Both wet and dry forms of AMD were elevated in psoriasis patients, though associations appeared stronger for the wet form that can cause rapid vision loss.

“Our findings support a connection between psoriasis and AMD, both exudative and nonexudative, which could be mediated by shared lipid dysregulation,” summarized Dr. Alison Treichel, MD, of the University of Rochester at the EADV presentation.

The study used data from the US TriNetX collaborative network and compared psoriasis patients to 3 control groups over a 10-year follow-up period. Patients with prior AMD diagnosis were excluded to ensure accurate incidence measurements.

The protective effect of biologics represents the study's most clinically significant finding and suggests these anti-inflammatory treatments may have benefits beyond skin symptoms. However, the retrospective design and potential unmeasured confounders like smoking and cardiovascular disease limited definitive conclusions. The study also did not report effect size metrics such as hazard ratios or absolute incidence rates. The researchers emphasized that patients with psoriasis should continue standard eye examinations and promptly report vision changes, though no specific screening recommendations can be made yet.