Studies have shown that people with one copy of the rs1061170 variant have a 2.5 times higher risk of developing ARMD than do people who don't have any copies of the variant. People who have two copies of this variant have a 5.9 times higher risk. Likewise, people with one copy of the rs10490924 variant have a 2.7 times higher risk of developing ARMD than do people with no copies of the variant. Those with two copies of this variant have an 8.2 times higher risk.

If you have one or more of these variants, you have a 50 percent chance of passing each on to your children. However, carrying a variant does not mean that you, or your children, will develop ARMD. As a multifactorial condition, lifestyle factors also contribute to your risk of developing ARMD.