Simple Vision Function Tests that Distinguish Eyes with Early to Intermediate Age-related Macular Degeneration

To present and compare baseline vision findings in eyes with early age-related macular degeneration (E-AMD), intermediate AMD (I-AMD), and age-similar participants with normal aging changes to the retina (No-AMD).

Two hundred and thirty-seven eyes of 125 individuals (66.4% female, mean age 75.3 years) were tested monocularly using several simple, rapid psychophysical tests: high contrast visual acuity, low contrast visual acuity at reduced luminance, contrast sensitivity, shape discrimination hyperacuity, colour vision, reading rate, and glare recovery. Retinal status was determined using colour fundus photographs that were graded according to the Beckman Initiative for Macular Research Classification Committee scale. Logistic regression analyses with generalized estimating equations were used to assess the association between each vision variable and AMD category, while taking into account the correlation between the two eyes.

Three vision measures (contrast sensitivity [CS], shape discrimination hyperacuity [SDH], and colour discrimination [DesatCCS]) were significantly and independently associated with intermediate AMD. Relative Risk Ratios (RRR), 95% Confidence Intervals (in parentheses), beta coefficients, and significance (p) for the I-AMD vs. No-AMD model are: CS: RRR = 6.5 (1.91-22.0), beta = 1.87, p < .01; SDH: RRR = 2.34 (1.24-4.44), beta = 0.85, p < .001; DesatCCS: RRR = 1.43 (1.22-1.68), beta = 0.36, p < .001. Performance on these measures was significantly poorer for participants with I-AMD vs. No-AMD.

Simple screening tests distinguish eyes with intermediate AMD from eyes with less severe AMD or normal aging changes. This suggests that these vision measures may be significant predictors of which participants will go on to develop advanced AMD.