Macular Diseases

  • Age-related macular degeneration

  • The incidence increases with each decade over age 50
  • Main blind-causing disease in elderly
  • Severe central visual loss

Etiology:

  • Long-term chronic macular light damage, heredity, metabolism, nutrient factors

Mechanism:

  • Decreased phagocytosis of RPE leading to drusen.
  • Drusen can cause damage of Bruch’s membrane, CNV and fibrocyte proliferation
  • Destruction of choroidal capillary, Bruch’s membrane, RPE and photoreceptor

Clinical Presentation

  • Visual acuity: decreased VA, metamorphopsia, micropsia

  • Visual field: central scotoma

  • Fundus:

    • Dry: drusen, RPE change
    • Wet: gray-yellow CNV under retina of posterior pole, associated with dark red subretinal hemorrhage, which covers CNV sometimes
  • FFA: CNV leakage, bleeding

  • Nonexudate:

    • Drusen
    • RPE atrophy
    • Degeneration of photoreceptor
    • Choroid capillary atrophy

  • Exudate:
    • Drusen
    • Damage of Bruch’s membrane
    • CNV - corroidal new vessels
    • Disciform scar formation under macula, bleeding and leakage of CNV


Exudative AMD

  • Amsler grid viewed with normal vision and with wet AMD.


Test - Amsler Grid

  • A normal Amsler Grid

  • The Amsler Grid through the eyes of a patient with neurovascular age-related macular degeneration.

  • Vision with macular degeneration

FL,oct,Grid inv


Treatment

  • Anti-oxidation drug

  • CNVM located greater than 200 microns from the center of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) laser is contraindicated if fovea is near central

  • Intravitreal anti-VGEFZ best treatment

  • Photodynamic therapy (PDT)Z

  • TTT - Thermal therapy

  • Surgically remove CNV

  • Macular translocation