Abstract
Purpose :
To study the clinical characteristics and outcomes of an understudied patient population with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).
Methods :
A retrospective chart review was conducted to collect data on patients with nAMD from a predominantly African American patient population. Patient demographics, clinical course, and ocular coherence tomography (OCT) findings were recorded.
Results :
Our study included 51 patients; 43 (84%) were African American, the average age was 77 years, and 31 (60%) were female. The average vision at baseline and 1 year was 20/320 (1.2 logMAR) and 20/250 (1.1 logMAR), respectively. Baseline OCT showed fluid present in 36 (71%) patients, an average central subfield thickness of 326 microns, and a disciform scar in 22 (43%) patients. Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy was suspected in 9 (18%) patients.
Conclusions :
In our study population, patients often initially presented with poor vision and disciform scarring. Further study is warranted to determine how to better identify patients earlier in the disease course.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.