Objective: To determine the range of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) levels in healthy Filipino adults using both the MPS II and the macuscope and to investigate whether age and sex were related to inter-subject variations in MPOD. Methods: This was a prospective, cross sectional study of 168 healthy Filipino patients who underwent heterochromic filter photometry to measure macular pigment levels using the MPS II and the macuscope. The MPOD levels were averaged per age group and analyzed as to variations among age and gender. Results: One hundred thirty (130) and thirty-eight (38) patients underwent MPS II and macuscope testing respectively. The mean MPOD level for MPS II was 0.39(±0.16) and for macuscope 0.27(±0.07). MPOD values were similar across all age groups and gender, but they were lower when measured with the macuscope. Conclusions MPOD levels measured among healthy Filipino adults were lower with the macuscope compared to the MPS II. These differences should take into consideration the differences in apparatus and techniques of measurement.
Macular Degeneration ; Zeaxanthins

Objectives: The aim of this review was to examine the effects of PDT in the treatment of neovascular ARMD.
PHOTOCHEMOTHERAPY ; RETINAL NEOVASCULARIZATION ; MACULAR DEGENERATION

Objectives: Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drugs delivered intravitreally have been proven effective and safe for the treatment of patients diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). This study evaluated the short-term biologic efficacy and safety of multiple intravitreal injections of bevacizumab in patients with neovascular ARMD. Methods: A prospective, interventional, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was done involving patients with active subfoveal neovascular ARMD. Excluded were patients with significant media opacity, concomitant retinal/ocular diseases, previous intravitreal injections, recent laser treatment or intraocular surgery, and contraindications to the drug. Demographic data were taken and a complete ocular examination, fluorescein angiogram (FA), and optical coherence tomogram (OCT) were performed. Patients received either 3 monthly intravitreal injections of 1.25mg bevacizumab or sham injections. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness were recorded at baseline, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks follow-up. Ocular/Periocular or systemic drug-related side effects or toxicities and iatrogenic complications were noted. Results: Thirty eyes (15 per group) were included in the final analysis. Both treatment and control groups were comparable in baseline characteristics. There was a significant increase in the mean visual acuity (p < 0.001) in eyes treated with bevacizumab across all time periods. The average gain at the end of the study was 11.6 letters. This paralleled a similar significant decrease in central macular thickness for the treatment group (p < 0.02). No major ocular adverse events were noted. Conclusion This study supported the growing body of evidence that intravitreal injections of bevacizumab 1.25 mg result in short-term anatomical as well as functional improvement with minimal adverse events in patients with neovascular ARMD.
Choroidal Neovascularization ; Macular Degeneration ; Bevacizumab

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of 3 bimonthly aflibercept injections for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that showed limited response to 3 initial ranibizumab injections. METHODS: Three bimonthly aflibercept injections were performed for 21 eyes with neovascular AMD that was refractory to 3 monthly ranibizumab injections. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) were measured at diagnosis, 1 month after 3 ranibizumab injections, and 1 month after 3 aflibercept injections, and these values were compared. RESULTS: The mean logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) BCVA at diagnosis, after ranibizumab therapy, and after aflibercept therapy was 0.62 ± 0.29, 0.73 ± 0.31, and 0.65 ± 0.28, respectively. The CRT at the aforementioned times was 427.0 ± 98.7 µm, 409.5 ± 78.7 µm, and 315.9 ± 98.2 µm, respectively. When compared with the value measured after ranibizumab therapy, CRT was significantly decreased after aflibercept therapy (p < 0.001), whereas there was no significant difference in BCVA (p = 0.092) between the two times. Improved BCVA was noted in 8 eyes (38.1%) after aflibercept therapy and BCVA was unchanged in 11 eyes (52.4%). Decreased CRT was noted in 18 eyes (85.7%) after aflibercept therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Three bimonthly aflibercept injections were found to be useful in terms of improving or maintaining visual acuity, as well as reducing retinal thickness in neovascular AMD that showed limited response to 3 initial ranibizumab injections.
Diagnosis ; Macular Degeneration* ; Ranibizumab* ; Retinaldehyde ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To investigate the peripapillary choroidal thickness (PCT) of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to evaluate their responses to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). METHODS: Thirty eyes with PCV and 25 eyes with exudative AMD who were treatment naïve were included in this study. PCT and subfoveal choroidal thickness were evaluated both before and after intravitreal anti-VEGF. RESULTS: The initial mean PCT of PCV (153.78 ± 56.23 µm) was thicker than that of exudative AMD (88.77 ± 23.11 µm, p < 0.001). Temporal, superior, nasal, and inferior PCTs of PCV were all thicker than those observedin exudative AMD (all p < 0.05). After anti-VEGF, the mean PCT of PCV was significantly reduced (134.17 ± 41.66 µm, p < 0.001), but the same was not true not in exudative AMD (86.87 ± 22.54 µm, p = 0.392). PCTshowed a similar tendency in all quadrants. CONCLUSIONS: PCV exhibits a thick choroid in the peripapillary region. PCT decreases after anti-VEGF in PCV but not in exudative AMD. In exudative AMD, subfoveal choroidal thickness decreased, but that in the peripapillary region did not.
Choroid* ; Endothelial Growth Factors* ; Macular Degeneration

PURPOSE: To compare SLO (scanning laser ophthalmoscope) retromode images with conventional color fundus photography for the detection of drusen. METHODS: We obtained color fundus photography and SLO retromode images of the ten fellow eyes of ten patients with unilateral exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and twenty eyes of 20 patients who had only drusen without exudative AMD. The numbers of druse in each image were compared within the same retinal boundary. RESULTS: In the fellow eyes of unilateral exudative AMD, an average number of 63.1 +/- 81.9 drusen in color fundus photography and an average number of 141.3 +/- 124.1 drusen in SLO retromode images were detected (p = 0.005). In the eyes with only drusen, an average number of 57.0 +/- 43.9 drusen in color fundus photography and an average number of 112.2 +/- 82.0 drusen in SLO retromode images were detected (p = 0.000). In the presence of media opacity like cataract, drusen were better detected in SLO retromode images than they were in color fundus photography. CONCLUSIONS: About twice as many drusen were detected in SLO retromode images than in color fundus photography. Drusen were also better detected in SLO retromode images in cases of media opacity. SLO retromode images might provide more sensitive images for the detection of drusen than does color fundus photography.
Cataract ; Eye ; Humans ; Macular Degeneration ; Photography ; Retinaldehyde

We report three cases of Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) among which a young female and two siblings from a separate family, presented with common features of obesity, postaxial (ulnar) polydactyly, speech delay, developmental delay with learning difficulties and progressive deterioration of vision. Fundus examination revealed maculopathy and other remarkable findings in these patients. In this image of endocrinology, we describe the BBS phenotypes of these cases highlighting the fundus photography features with a plan for close follow up on obesity and endocrine complications.
Polydactyly ; Obesity ; Macular Degeneration ; Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

PURPOSE: To describe the clinical course of three eyes of three patients that underwent surgical ablation as treatment of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP). METHODS: Surgical lysis of the retinal feeding arteriole and draining venule was done in two eyes that had stage 2 RAP with serous pigment epithelial detachment (PED). It was done as the first treatment modality in one eye, and after failure of laser photocoagulation in the other. It was also performed in another eye presumed to have very early stage RAP that showed only retinal-retinal anastomosis without any definite intraretinal or subretinal angiomatous lesion. RESULTS: PED decreased within 1 month after ablation in the two eyes with stage 2 RAP, but new anastomoses eventually developed after 1 month, followed by progression of the lesions. In the eye with presumed early stage RAP, successful lysis of retinal-retinal anastomosis was maintained and initially showed no signs of further proliferation at the original lesion site; however, four months later, hemorrhagic PED developed distally and progressed further to retinal pigment epithelial tear and massive subretinal hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical ablation may be unable to halt the progressive nature of neovascular proliferations in RAP.
Arterioles ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Light Coagulation ; Macular Degeneration ; Retinaldehyde* ; Venules

PURPOSE: To analyze the hyperacuity defects by preferential hyperacuity perimeter (PHP) in exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and correlate them with the properties of pigment epithelial detachment (PED) obtained by optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: Thirty eyes with exudative AMD with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) diagnosed by fluorescein angiography underwent PHP for hyperacuity defect and OCT for PED length and height. We compared hyperacuity defect with the shape of the PED by OCT. RESULTS: 26 eyes with exudative AMD with CNV tested positive for hyperacuity defects. The size of the hyperacuity defect by PHP and the PED length by OCT showed positive correlation (p=0.010). In the 4 eyes that tested negative for hyperacuity defects, the PED was not high although the size was large. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that PHP is a useful method to detect a change of pigment epithelial layer in AMD and the presences of a hyperacuity defect is more sensitive for PED height than size. These results suggest that PHP is useful to detect the state and the activity of CNV lesion.
Choroidal Neovascularization ; Eye ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Macular Degeneration ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

PURPOSE: To investigate whether endogenous and exogenous female hormone exposures were associated with risks for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in postmenopausal women. METHODS: This study included 4,479 postmenopausal females aged 45 years and older who completed the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) V. The participants were divided into 4 groups: subjects with AMD, subjects without AMD, subjects with early AMD, and subjects with late AMD. Variables associated with endogenous and exogenous female hormone exposures were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 4,479 participants, 516 were found to have AMD and 3,963 were normal. There was no significant difference between the AMD and normal groups execpt for age in the risk analysis. Of the total 516 AMD participants, 488 had early AMD and 28 had late AMD. Women with AMD who had used oral contraceptives longer in the past had significantly higher odds of late AMD than early AMD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.013, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.002–1.024). Increasing number of children was also associated with decreased odds of late AMD (OR = 0.672, 95% CI: 0.506-0.893). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that exposure to endogenous and exogenous female hormones may influence the risk of AMD progression.
Child ; Contraceptives, Oral ; Female* ; Humans ; Korea ; Macular Degeneration* ; Nutrition Surveys