[Clinical findings and macular lesions in basal laminar drusen]

To investigate the clinical characteristics and accompanying macular lesions in Japanese patients with basal laminar drusen (BLD).

Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Fifty four eyes of 27 Japanese patients with BLD were examined for the clinical characteristics of BLD and accompanying macular lesions using retro-mode imaging (Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope F-10, Nidek) in addition to current methods such as fluorescein angiography (FA), indocyanine green angiography (IA), fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

1)BLD was more clearly identified using retro-mode imaging than any of the other current imaging methods, and was divided into two types: a crater type (relatively sparsely distributed BLD with many soft drusens) and a mesh type (uniformly distributed BLD). 2) BLD in both eyes was more common in female patients, and had the same type, distribution and similar macular lesions in both eyes. 3) Among the macular lesions, we observed macular atrophy, retinal angiomatous proliferation and vitelliform detachment in many patients, in contrast to few cases of choroidal neovascularization and no polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

BLD may be regarded as a disease that is different from age-related macular degeneration (AMD).