The role of IL-18 in retinal degenerations including AMD is controversial in the current literature [reviewed in Campbell et al. (49, 50)], with some sources highlighting a detrimental role for IL-18 in the progression of dry AMD (34, 103), whilst there is also evidence of a protective role of IL-18 for wet AMD, in which angiogenesis and neovascularisation contributes to disease progression (30, 31). This evidence concerns the gene IL18 and dry age related macular degeneration.