Symptomatic age-related macular degeneration in Asian patients

Purpose: 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, FED 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. Conclusion: In this cohort of Asian patients with ARMD, the majority of symptomatic eyes had either CNV (46%) or serous FED (31%).