title: PATTERNS OF FUNDUS AUTOFLUORESCENCE DEFECTS IN NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION SUBTYPES.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test define characteristic fundus autofluorescence patterns of different exudative age-related macular degeneration subtypes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study. Fifty-two patients with choroidal neovascularization because of three different neovascular age-related macular degeneration subtypes were included in the study. Macular and peripheral fundus autofluorescence patterns of study subjects were compared in a masked fashion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fundus autofluorescence patterns of all three neovascular age-related macular degeneration subtypes revealed similar patterns. However, peripapillary hypo-autofluorescence was more common among patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (88.2%) compared with patients with retinal angiomatous proliferation (12.5%) and patients without retinal angiomatous proliferation and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (21.1%) (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Presence of peripapillary fundus autofluorescence defects in neovascular age-related macular degeneration maybe suggestive of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy as a variant of neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky; and †Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozkok
authors.forename: Douglas K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Sigford
authors.forename: Tongalp H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Tezel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061848:Optical Imaging; D011127:Polyps / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012160:Retina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*