Abstract
Purpose: :
To study the relationship between the macular function assessed with multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) and the morphological changes evaluated with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fundus photography in patients with drusen maculopathy in early stages of age-related macular degeneration.
Methods: :
Ten eyes from ten patients (age 71 ± 2 years) with different size and localization of drusen were evaluated and compared to 15 eyes from 13 patients (age 50 ± 7 years) without maculopathy. Visual acuity was assessed with ETDRS. Each eye was examined with OCT, color fundus photographs and mfERG (103 hexagons), which was recorded in nine separated central areas corresponding to the nine areas of the OCT retinal map.The nine different areas obtained in the OCT's retinal thickness map were overlaid onto the fundus picture and further correlated to the mfERG's response and retinal thickness (OCT) of every separate area.
Results: :
Prolonged implicit time was found in all the nine areas recorded compared to the healthy controls; mean, 30 msec. (95%CI 29-31) vs. 27 msec (95%CI 26-28); p=0.002. The amplitudes in the most central area, corresponding to the fovea, were lower in the patient group compared to the controls 25 ± 9 nV/deg2 vs. 34 ± 13 nV/deg2; p= 0.016. Eyes in the maculopathy group demonstrated no differences in areas with and without drusen, neither in implicit time nor in amplitude in areas with and without drusen. Retinal thickness was less than 300 µm in all areas measured and showed no correlation with mfERG response.
Conclusions: :
Eyes with drusen maculopathy demonstrated functional changes compared to healthy controls evaluated with mfERG. Drusen seems to be associated with a general macular dysfunction.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • electrophysiology: clinical • drusen