title: Self-recognition of recurrences among patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to investigate factors influencing a patient's self-recognition of the recurrence of exudative changes secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, we reviewed medical records for patients with exudative AMD who were diagnosed with a recurrence of exudation. Various parameters were compared, including age, sex, diagnosis, spectacle use, visual acuity before and after the recurrence and the extent of the decrease in visual acuity. In addition, visual acuity and unaided vision before the recurrence were compared in patients who did not use eyeglasses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-eight eyes from 48 patients were included in the analysis. Twenty-seven patients (56.3 per cent) identified a decrease in visual acuity. These patients had better visual acuity before the recurrence (p = 0.023) and reported a greater decrease in visual acuity (p = 0.005) than patients who did not identify a visual change. Patients who wore spectacles were also more likely to notice the change in their visual acuity (p = 0.027). Visual acuity was significantly better than uncorrected vision (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients who do not use eyeglasses or who have relatively poor vision tend not to promptly recognise visual deterioration caused by the recurrence of exudation. Prescribing eyeglasses may facilitate accurate self-recognition of the recurrence of exudation in cases where vision can be improved with correction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young Suk
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. chulgukim@kimeye.com.
authors.forename: Chul Gu
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity
keywords: age-related macular degeneration; macula; retina