Eccentric viewing spectacles in everyday life, for the optimum use of residual functional retinal areas, in patients with age-related macular degeneration.
Most patients with end-stage age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) depend on their eccentric viewing for distance and near vision. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the subjective effects of eccentric viewing spectacles (EVS) in order to achieve the use of perimacular regions in primary gaze position.


METHODS
We fitted EVS on patients with a central scotoma secondary to end-stage ARMD. After determining the preferred retinal locus, high power prism glasses were adjusted to this area. After a follow-up period of at least 3 months, patients filled in a questionnaire concerning their perception of positive or negative effects.


RESULTS
Twenty-three of 38 patients considered the fitted EVS to be an improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
EVS may be helpful for the rehabilitation of patients with a central scotoma resulting from ARMD.
Verezen
C A
CA
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Völker-Dieben
H J
HJ
Hoyng
C B
CB
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005139:Eyeglasses; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D012607:Scotoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014792:Visual Acuity