VEGF-antagonism and Endothelial Function in Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Inclusion Criteria for active treatment: * Age: 50 - 80 years * Diagnosis of neovascular macular degeneration suitable for intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy * Stable medication for general conditions for at least 1 month * Written informed consent for participation in the study Inclusion criteria for controls: * Age: 50 - 80 years * Diagnosis of "dry" AMD * "dry" AMD is defined as at least Age-Related-Eye-Disease-Study (AREDS) category 2 in both eyes and no evidence of neovascularization in either eye * Stable medication for general conditions for at least 1 month * Written informed consent for participation in the study Exclusion Criteria for all subjects: * Myocardial infarction, unstable angina, stroke within 3 months prior to study entry * Thoracic or cardiac surgery and/or coronary intervention/revascularisation procedure (within 3 months before randomization) * Uncontrolled symptomatic congestive heart failure (NHYA\> II) in the last 4 weeks prior to study * Renal insufficiency (Creatinine Clearance \< 50ml/min) * Ventricular tachyarrhythmias * Poorly controlled hypertension, defined as resting blood pressure ≥ 160/100 mmHg * Symptomatic hypotension * Long acting nitrates * Smoking (\>5 Zig./d) * Diabetes mellitus * Dyslipidemia (LDL-cholesterol \> 4.5 mmol/l) * Liver disease (ALT or AST \>3x ULN) * Alcohol or drug abuse * Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients * Active or suspected ocular or periocular infections * Patients with active severe intraocular inflammation * Malignancy (unless healed or remission \> 5 years) * Disease with systemic inflammation (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, M. Crohn) * Participation in another study within the last month