June 1998
Volume 39, Issue 7
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Articles  |   June 1998
The Alabama Age-Related Macular Degeneration Grading System for donor eyes.
Author Affiliations
  • C A Curcio
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294-0009, USA.
  • N E Medeiros
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294-0009, USA.
  • C L Millican
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294-0009, USA.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science June 1998, Vol.39, 1085-1096. doi:
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      C A Curcio, N E Medeiros, C L Millican; The Alabama Age-Related Macular Degeneration Grading System for donor eyes.. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 1998;39(7):1085-1096.

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      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

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Abstract

PURPOSE: To develop a systematic method for identifying and grading age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) in human donor eyes, postmortem fundus appearance was compared with histopathologic assessment in eyes with a spectrum of age-related macular change. METHODS: Eyes without grossly visible, late ARMD were obtained from 8 cancer patients and 26 donors older than 50 years. Postmortem fundus appearance was graded for drusen and pigmentary change, using stereo color photographs. Eyes were processed and sectioned at 1 microm for histopathologic evaluation of macular retinal pigment epithelium-Bruch's membrane complex. The histologic diagnosis was compared with gross fundus appearance, clinical ophthalmic histories (n = 25), and clinical fundus photographs that were graded using the Wisconsin Age-related Maculopathy Grading System (n = 5). RESULTS: Ten eyes met histopathologic criteria for early ARMD. A similar proportion of eyes (27%-32%) was identified as affected by ARMD by other published histopathologic criteria. By choosing eyes with at least one druse larger than 125 microm in diameter or an area of pigment-clumping 500 microm in diameter that was visible in the postmortem fundus, ARMD cases were identified with 90% sensitivity and 95% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: The Alabama ARMD Grading System permits rational and standardized use of donor eyes in studies that are directed toward understanding the pathogenesis of ARMD.

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