These findings are consistent with those of studies showing that risk variants in CFH, ARMS2, C2, CFB and C3 influence not only risk of late AMD (based on comparison with normal subjects), but also risk of progression from early to late stages of disease (based on comparison with early AMD cases that did not progress) [32], [33], [34], [35]. This evidence concerns the gene C3 and age-related macular degeneration.