Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To evaluate and correlate central macular thickness with best–corrected visual acuity in non–exudative age–related macular degeneration (AMD) using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: Consecutive subjects with non–exudative AMD were studied by clinical examination, fundus photography, and fluorescein angiography. Those subjects with evidence of exudation, disciform scar, or having a history of any other significant ocular disorders aside from mild cataract were excluded. Retinal thickness was measured using the OCT–3, and best–corrected vision was measured using dilated near–pinhole acuity. Correlation between macular thickness and best–corrected visual acuity was calculated using the Pearson r product moment correlation coefficient. Results: Twenty–two eyes of 15 patients with non–exudative AMD were enrolled. Best–corrected visual acuity ranged from 20/20 to 20/70. The central macular thickness ranged from 142 µm to 230 µm. Pearson correlation was 0.7297, which is statistically significant (p<0.0005) using power = 0.80. Detailed graphical representation of this correlation is presented. Conclusions: The degree of macular thinning in non–exudative AMD significantly correlates with best–corrected visual acuity. These findings substantiate the current teaching about vision loss in this disease process. Moreover, periodic OCT measurements of central macular thickness may have prognostic clinical applications as a means to follow the progression of potential vision loss in affected patients.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • imaging/image analysis: clinical • macula/fovea