title: Longitudinal Associations Between Microstructural Changes and Microperimetry in the Early Stages of Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether longitudinal changes in mesopic visual function on microperimetry occurred independent of its associations with microstructural parameters on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in the early stages of AMD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one AMD eyes underwent microperimetry testing and SD-OCT scans over a 12-month period at 6-month intervals. Microstructural parameters analyzed include the retinal pigment epithelium-drusen complex (RPEDC) layer thickness, number of hyperreflective foci (HF) and their inner retinal migration (represented by a weighted axial distribution score; AxD), and the number of atrophic areas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microperimetric sensitivity was 0.29 dB (95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.38 to -0.20 dB, P < 0.001) and 0.13 dB (95% CI = -0.22 to -0.03 dB, P = 0.008) lower in each sector for every 10-μm higher RPEDC layer thickness and 1-HF present, but was not associated with the AxD score or the number of atrophic areas present (P ≤ 0.464). However, each 10-μm greater RPEDC layer thickness and 1-HF present was not independently associated with a further decline in sensitivity (-0.08 dB/year, 95% CI = -0.24 to 0.07 dB/year, P = 0.288 and 0.09 dB/year, 95% CI = -0.06 to 0.24 dB/year, P = 0.242, respectively) over time when accounting for the association between RPEDC layer thickness and number of HF with microperimetric sensitivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Longitudinal changes in mesopic visual function measured on microperimetry paralleled changes in the microstructural changes over a 12-month time frame, without any changes occurring independent of the associations between structure and function alone.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Eye Research Australia University of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Zhichao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cunefare
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: Centre for Eye Research Australia University of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Chi D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Luu
authors.affiliation: Centre for Eye Research Australia University of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Lauren N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Ayton
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States.
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Toth
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States 3Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States.
authors.forename: Sina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farsiu
authors.affiliation: Centre for Eye Research Australia University of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Robyn H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Guymer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015593:Retinal Drusen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D058609:Visual Field Tests