Abstract
Abstract: :
Background: Because of newly established entities such as polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP), our understanding of age–related macular degeneration (AMD) is recently improved. Purpose: To re–classify the cases of previously diagnosed AMD with the latest diagnostic criteria and to clarify the profile of AMD in Japanese patients. Methods: We re–evaluated 673 eyes of 629 consecutive patients with previously diagnosed AMD between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2001. All patients underwent complete ophthalmic examination and fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography. Results: The 673 eyes with previously diagnosed AMD were re–classified into 253 eyes of 238 cases with exudative AMD (37.6%), 370 eyes of 348 cases with PCV (55.0%) and 10 eyes of 7 cases with RAP (1.5%), 40 eyes of 36 cases with scaring AMD (5.9%). Among the 238 patients of exudative AMD, 152(63.9%) were male and 86 (36.1%) were women. The mean age of the patients was 71.6 years. Mean final visual acuity was 0.11. PCV was present in 271 (77.9%) men and 77 (22.1%) women and mean age of the patients was 69.8 years. Bilateral case was 6.3%. Mean final visual acuity of PCV was 0.22. RAP was present in 1 (14.3%) man and 6 (85.7%) women and mean age of the patient was 81.7 years. Mean final visual acuity was 0.063 in eyes with RAP. Bilateral case was 42.9%. Conclusions: The cases of conventionally diagnosed AMD included 55% of PCV and 38% of exudative AMD. PCV was more prevalent than AMD in Japanese patients. Visual prognosis was better in PCV.
Keywords: age–related macular degeneration • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • choroid: neovascularization