Pachydrusen in Indian population: A hospital-based study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Diseases
• Macular Degeneration

Background:

• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss.
• Drusen, lipid deposits under the retina, are hallmarks of AMD.
• Pachydrusen represent a distinct subtype of drusen with unique characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of pachydrusen in the Indian population.
• To analyze the characteristics of pachydrusen in relation to subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and choroidal vascularity index (CVI).
• To compare these findings with other drusen types (soft drusen, subretinal drusenoid deposits) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, cross-sectional study design.
• Inclusion of patients diagnosed with dry AMD.
• Diagnosis of drusen subtypes using color fundus photography and optical coherence tomography (OCT).
• Calculation and comparison of SFCT and CVI among different drusen groups.

Main Results:

• Pachydrusen were identified in 8.4% of Indian eyes with dry AMD.
• Eyes with pachydrusen exhibited significantly increased SFCT compared to eyes with subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDD) or a combination of soft drusen and SDD.
• A significant difference in CVI was observed across different drusen subgroups (P = 0.03).

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of pachydrusen in Indian eyes with dry AMD (8.4%) is comparable to Western literature (11.7%).
• Pachydrusen are associated with a thicker choroid and a higher choroidal vascularity index (CVI).
• These findings contribute to understanding the specific characteristics of pachydrusen in the Indian population.