Aila Riusala1, Seppo Sarna, Ilkka Immonen. 1. Department of Ophthalmology, Helsinki University Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 4 C, FIN-00029 JP 220 Helsinki, Finland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) leads to a substantial visual loss in most patients there is still significant variation in the end- stage visual acuity level. We analysed lesions in eyes with long-standing AMD in order to find contributing factors for this variation. METHODS: Sixty-one out of 121 patients examined for exudative AMD and still alive 4.8-9.2 (mean 6.8) years after the acute phase were re-examined. The lesion size, area of subretinal fibrosis, geographic atrophy, presence of a persistent exudative process, and shortest distance to normal looking retina were measured from digital fundus photographs taken at the re-examination and correlated with visual acuity. RESULTS: Lesion size, the presence of a continuing exudative process, or subretinal fibrosis were independent predictors for poor vision. Better vision in the other eye was connected with poor vision in the affected study eye. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to lesion size, the presence of a continuing exudative process and subretinal fibrosis also have deleterious effects on long-term visual acuity after exudative AMD.
BACKGROUND: Although exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) leads to a substantial visual loss in most patients there is still significant variation in the end- stage visual acuity level. We analysed lesions in eyes with long-standing AMD in order to find contributing factors for this variation. METHODS: Sixty-one out of 121 patients examined for exudative AMD and still alive 4.8-9.2 (mean 6.8) years after the acute phase were re-examined. The lesion size, area of subretinal fibrosis, geographic atrophy, presence of a persistent exudative process, and shortest distance to normal looking retina were measured from digital fundus photographs taken at the re-examination and correlated with visual acuity. RESULTS: Lesion size, the presence of a continuing exudative process, or subretinal fibrosis were independent predictors for poor vision. Better vision in the other eye was connected with poor vision in the affected study eye. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to lesion size, the presence of a continuing exudative process and subretinal fibrosis also have deleterious effects on long-term visual acuity after exudative AMD.
Authors: T H Tezel; L V Del Priore; B E Flowers; D H Grosof; I L Benenson; R L Zamora; H J Kaplan Journal: Ophthalmology Date: 1996-11 Impact factor: 12.079