Diagnostics and therapeutics for macular degeneration-related disorders

A method for diagnosing the development of age related macular degeneration (AMD) in a subject,

• comprising detecting in a plasma, serum, or whole blood sample from the subject a level of at least one complement pathway protein that is indicative of complement activation and is significantly higher than baseline levels in a control population of subjects without AMD, wherein a level of at least one complement pathway protein that is indicative of complement activation and is significantly higher than baselines levels in the control population indicates that the subject has or is developing AMD, wherein said complement pathway protein is selected from the group consisting of C3, C3a, and C5b-9 terminal complex.