Abstract
Purpose :
To determine the association between drusen type and morphology, in patients with non-exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD), with autofluorescence imaging.
Methods :
This pilot study included 50 patients with drusen secondary to early or intermediate AMD.
Drusen type (soft drusen or cuticular drusen) and morphology (size, shape, internal reflectivity, homogeneity, presence or absence of overlying hyperreflective foci) were analyzed using Color Fundus Photography (CFP) and Spectral Domain Optic Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) while Fundus Autofluorescence (FAF) was used for drusen autofluorescence evaluation (hyperautofluorescent, hypoautofluorescent or with normal autofluorescence).
Additionally structural changes on SD-OCT such as disruption of external limiting membrane (ELM), disruption of ellipsoid zone (EZ) and disruption of RPE/Bruch membrane complex (RPEBM), as well as the presence of choroidal hypertransmission (CH) were also considered.
The SD-OCT was acquired in combination of FAF and images were overlaid, allowing analysis at corresponding locations.
Results :
Preliminary data analysis of SD-OCT/FAF images showed a statistically significant association between drusen size and disruption of EZ with autofluorescent findings.
Other studied morphological features of drusen ultra-structure appeared to be only weakly associated with abnormal FAF changes.
We are developing new image processing and analysis methods to retrieve quantitative relevant data from images acquired with the techniques used in the study.
Conclusions :
In our study we found an association between drusen morphologic characteristics and outer retinal findings in SD-OCT with the autofluorescence pattern of drusen in FAF.
Multimodal imaging findings are likely to reflect the ultrastructural progressive changes in AMD, and may help to identify potential markers of progression in early-moderate AMD.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.