The majority of patients seen in ophthalmic clinics are over the age of 60. In addition, ophthalmology is a major care provider for elderly people. In the author’s unit a recent review of patients undergoing surgery showed that 75% of them were over the age of 60 and 38% over 75. Ten years ago these proportions were 50% and 25% respectively. Much of this reflects the increasing demand for and success of cataract surgery. Age-related macular degeneration is the major cause of visual loss in the United Kingdom and elsewhere and is responsible for 48.5% of all patients registered blind or partially sighted in England and Wales.