Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: The aim of the present study is to investigate the ability of the Macular Computerized Psychopysical Test (MCPT), a self-operated home device, to detect choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in asymptomatic patients with relatively good visual acuity. Methods: Ten consecutive patients with asymptomatic neovascular AMD were identified and confirmed by fluorescein angiography over a one year period. All patients underwent the MCPT, supervised Amsler grid examination, visual acuity, and retinal biomicroscopy. In the MCPT, which runs on a PC monitor, a doted line is flashed across different retinal loci to a perifoveal radius of 7 degrees. Distortion or scotoma in the line were recorded and an assembly of these responses were automatically analyzed using a specifically developed algorithm to provide real-time interpertation of the disease sate. Results: Of the 10 patients identified, 2 had subfoveal and 8 had non-subfoveal neovascular lesions. The median visual acuity was 20/32 (range 20/25-20/100). Nine (90%) were positive on the MCPT compared to 1(10%) on the Amsler grid. Nine of the patients were treated, while one with a small extrafoveal CNV was followed-up with eventual self resolution of the CNV. Conclusion: The MCPT, a monitoring tool for patients at risk for developing CNV, may enable early detection while the patient is not yet symptomatic and visual acuity is relatively still preserved. Such early detection may improve treatment outcomes.
Keywords: 308 age-related macular degeneration • 346 choroid: neovascularization • 554 retina