Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate correlation between visual acuity and regional growth of geographic atrophic area
Methods :
We retrospectively analyzed 26 eyes of 18 patients who were diagnosed geographic atrophy and had at least 1 year follow-up period. Patients were examined fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence , and best corrected visual acuity at 1 year intervals. The area of atrophy was measured based on autofluorescence images. Areas 1 to 6 mm from foveal center were defined as Area 1 to Area 6, and ring shape areas from between 1 mm and 2 mm to between 5mm to 6mm were defined as Zone 2 to Zone 6 respectively. Correlation analysis and regression analysis were used to analyze the relationship between visual acuity change in the progression of atrophic area.
Results :
Mean age was 76.9 years. The mean follow-up period was 2.81 years. During the follow-up period, the atrophic area was increased from 8.09mm2 to 16.34mm2 and visual acuity decreased from 0.46 (0.39 logMAR) to 0.38 (0.69 logMAR). The atrophic area showed a more rapid increase in the distance from center.
ANCOVA analysis showed that the area of 2 mm diameter (Area 2, B = 0.179), 3 mm area (Area 3, B = 0.153) and 1 mm area (Area 1, B = 0.142), 4mm area (Area 4, B = 0.123), 6mm area (Area 6, B = 0.120), and 5mm area (Area 1, B = 0.114) were related to chage of visual acuity. Also, the area increase in Zone 2 (B = 0.153) was significantly associated with decreased visual acuity.
Conclusions :
Progression pattern of atrophic area showed the area with the largest correlation with the change of visual acuity was from 1mm to 2mm in diameter from the foveal center. It may be used as a factor to determine the visual prognosis of the patient by analyzing the progressive pattern of atrophic area.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.