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Updated: Jan 3, 2026
Author Spotlight: Ex Vivo OCT-Based Multimodal Imaging of Human Donor Eyes for Research into Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Published on: May 26, 2023
Presymptomatic Retinal Sensitivity Changes in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration Associated With New
Antony J Wightman1, Carla J Abbott1,2, Myra B McGuinness1
1Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
Purpose:
To determine whether change in retinal sensitivity in areas with subretinal or intraretinal fluid secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) precedes visual symptoms. If confirmed, retinal sensitivity testing could be used for home monitoring in AMD.
Methods:
Individuals with intermediate AMD enrolled in a longitudinal study were seen every 6 months and underwent best-corrected visual acuity testing (BCVA), spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and microperimetry. Asymptomatic individuals who developed incidental, reading center-determined retinal fluid detected on SD-OCT were identified. The point-wise sensitivity (PWS) at the time of fluid detection was compared with 6 and 12 months prior.
Results:
Fourteen of 161 individuals developed fluid without symptoms. PWS over fluid areas at detection was reduced compared with 6 (difference -2.04 dB, P < 0.001) and 12 months (-2.27 dB, P < 0.001) prior. PWS over fluid areas was reduced compared with perifluid areas (difference -1.02 dB, P = 0.03), peripheral areas (-1.51 dB, P < 0.001), nonprogressed fellow eyes (-1.49 dB, P = 0.006), and nonprogressed age-matched intermediate AMD eyes (-2.29 dB, P = 0.001). No difference in BCVA was observed in eyes developing fluid compared to eyes that do not develop fluid (P = 0.76).
Conclusions:
Retinal areas with fluid on SD-OCT had a corresponding reduction in retinal sensitivity at the time of fluid detection compared with 6 and 12 months prior, in asymptomatic intermediate AMD without change in BCVA.
Translational Relevance:
Development of self-monitoring tools to detect changes in retinal sensitivity may be helpful for early detection of retinal fluid suggestive of progression to neovascular AMD before acuity is affected.
