Symptomatic age-related macular degeneration in Asian patients.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize retinal and fluorescein angiographic findings of Asian patients with symptoms secondary to age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed 453 consecutive medical records corresponding to fluorescein angiograms performed between November 1992 and November 1995 to identify Asian patients with symptomatic ARMD. Presenting visual symptoms, best-corrected Snellen visual acuities, and retinal examination findings were determined from the medical records. Fundus photos and fluorescein angiograms were reviewed.


RESULTS
There were 26 symptomatic eyes in 19 Asian patients with a median age of 73 years. Presenting visual symptoms included decreased visual acuity (19 eyes), metamorphopsia (5 eyes), or scotoma (2 eyes). Retinal findings included occult choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in 5 (19%) eyes, serous pigment epithelial detachment (PED) in 8 (31%) eyes, PED with CNV in 5 (19%) eyes, drusen in 5 (19%) eyes, retinal pigment epithelial atrophy in 1 (4%) eye, vitreous hemorrhage in 1 (4%) eye, and a disciform scar in 1 (4%) eye.


CONCLUSIONS
In this cohort of Asian patients with ARMD, the majority of symptomatic eyes had either CNV (46%) or serous PED (31%).
Lim
J I
JI
Department of Ophthalmology, Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Kwok
A
A
Wilson
D K
DK
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001213:Asian; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D005202:Asia, Eastern / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014823:Vitreous Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology