Abstract
Purpose: :
To correlate the retinal function in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) to specific characteristics of retinal morphology after exactly superimposing the retinal sensitivity map to OCT data using Spectralis-OCT and the MP-1 microperimeter.
Methods: :
Thirty eyes showing untreated nAMD (10 classic, 9 minimally classic, 11 occult) were examined with the Heidelberg Spectralis-OCT and the NIDEK MP-1 microperimetry (MP).The fundusphoto (FP) of the MP was exactly matched with the infrared+OCT image of the Spectralis-OCT using virtualDub (Ver.1.8.6) and Paint.NET(Ver. 3.36) software.Each test point of light sensitivity in the FP was transmitted to the corresponding location on Spectralis-OCT using Image J software and subsequently the microperimetric results were evaluated with respect to the following OCT-findings: neovascular complex (NVC), pigment epithelium detachment (PED), subretinal fluid (SRF), intraretinal fluid (IRF), drusen and intraretinal hard exsudates.
Results: :
Mean retinal sensitivity was worst directly over the NVC at 1,45 ± 2,1dB. If IRF, SRF or a PED were present at the site of the NVC, mean retinal sensitivity was 1,26dB, 0,11dB and 0,64 dB, respectively.Further functional deficiency was caused by retinal fluid whereas IRF was associated with an inferior retinal sensitivity of 4,4 ± 3,5dB compared to SRF with a mean of 6,3 ± 4,5 dB.PED was associated with a retinal sensitivity of 6,7 ± 4,5dB, additional SRF resulted in a similar mean value of 6,4 ± 3,6 dB, whereas additional IRF resulted in worse retinal sensitivity of 2,4 ± 3,4dB.Drusenoid retinal epithelium irregularities resulted in a mean light perception value of 9,7± 4,6dB, whereas exsudates were associated with a value of 8,4dB.
Conclusions: :
In nAMD, severe macular function loss was detected especially at sites showing an NVC.Fluid or PED alone cause a rather similar functional deficiency, whereas a combination of both results in a worse outcome.Drusen and exsudats are associated with only moderate loss of macular function.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • imaging/image analysis: clinical • retinal neovascularization