Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): Clinical features and
clinical management
Author: Tanya Moutray, Usha Chakravarthy
Categories: Degenerative
Speciality: Medical Retina
Images – see attached file:IAPB AMD presentation
Image 1: Applied anatomy of the macula
Image 2: Normal fundus
Image 3: Early dry AMD demonstrating drusen and pigmentary change
Image 4: Advanced nonexudative atrophic AMD
Image 5: Exudative AMD demonstrating subfoveal CNV
How does the patient present?
Early AMD
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Initially asymptomatic.
May experience difficulties with night vision, dark adaption and reading
difficulties.
Neovascular AMD
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Sudden onset central blurring and rapid worsening of vision
Central distortion
What are the Ophthalmoscopic features?
Early AMD
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Drusen > 63 µm (may be distinct, indistinct or confluent)
Retinal pigment epithelium(RPE) hypertrophy
RPE atrophy
Reduced foveal reflex
Geographic atrophy (GA) of the RPE and choriocapillaris
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Characteristic scalloped appearance with a well delineated margin within which
there is RPE loss and choriocapillaris fallout.
Large choroidal vessels visible within this area.
Neovascular AMD
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Grey choroidal neovascular membrane(CNV)
Lipid exudates
Intraretinal or subretinal haemorrhage
Pigment epithelial detachment (PED)
Retinal pigment epithelial tear
Retinal Angiomatous Proliferation (RAP) and retinochoroidal anastomoses.
Fibrovascular disciform scar (end stage)
Idiopathic Polypoidal Choroidopathy (IPC)
 Atypical form of neovascular AMD
 Highly exudative lesions with haemorrhagic PEDs
 Seen typically adjacent to the optic disc, but can occur anywhere or even outside
the macula. (1)
What is the pathology?
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Drusen are yellow-white lesions within Bruch’s membrane in the macula, and may
be the precursor for AMD development as suggested by the Beaver Dam study (2)
and the AREDS study (3).
Diffuse thickening of the inner aspect of Bruch’s membrane associated with soft
drusen may be accompanied by abnormalities of the RPE including GA, and focal
hyperpigmentation.
Clinical (4-5) and histological (6) reports suggest this diffuse thickening of Bruch’s
membrane predisposes to developing cracks through which ingrowth of new vessels
from the choriocapillaris can occur.
Experimental studies have found inflammatory cells associated with the degenerative
changes in Bruch’s membrane but have yet to confirm if they are a response to or
mediator of this degeneration.
Neovascularisation can also arise de novo in the macular retina and is referred to as
retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP).
Two patterns of CNV growth have been defined: growth into the plane between RPE
and Bruch’s membrane (type 1); and growth between the retina and RPE (type 2).
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Blood and serum leak from these fenestrated neovascular membranes, cause
separation of Bruchs, RPE, and retina from each other and result in the
accumulation of intraretinal fluid.
This results in generalised thickening of the retina or the formation of cystic spaces,
causing the photoreceptors to become misaligned and eventually degenerative
changes occur with cell loss and eventual fibrosis.
What are the risk factors for AMD?
Epidemiological studies have revealed a number of risk factors for AMD, which may be
genetic or environmental.
Major genetic risk factors
1. Functional polymorphism of Complement related genes, CFH, C3, CCB, ARMS2 all
shown to be associated with increased risk of early and late stages of AMD (7-12).
2. Single nucleotides polymorphisms (SNPs) in chromosome 10q26 are associated
with an increased risk for AMD.(13)
3. Several other significant genetic loci for AMD(14) include 1q, 2p, 3p and 16 where
undiscovered genetic variants are yet to be revealed.
4. It has been shown that there is a synergistic effect between smoking and carriage of a
genetic risk factor at the AMD 10q26 locus.(15)
Ocular risk factors
1. Precursor lesions (early ARM) such as large drusen, soft indistinct drusen,
extensive drusen area, hyperpigmentation are risk factors for progression to
advanced AMD (both neovascular disease and GA) (16-19)
2. There is a higher prevalence of large drusen, pigmentary abnormalities, neovascular
AMD in non Hispanic whites, compared to other racial types.(20-24)
Environmental risk factors
1. Cigarette smoking is a well-established risk factor for the development of
AMD.(25)Current smokers have a two to three-fold increased risk of developing
AMD and there is a dose- response relationship with pack-years of smoking (26-27)
2. Diet low in antioxidants. Researchers with the Age-Related Eye Disease Study
(AREDS) reported in 2001 that a nutritional supplement called the AREDS
formulation can reduce the risk of developing advanced AMD by 25 percent over the
five-year study period. The original AREDS formulation contained vitamin C, vitamin
E, beta-carotene, zinc and copper (28).
3. Due to safety concerns that beta-carotene was associated with an increased risk of
lung cancer in smokers the beta-carotene element of the supplement was replaced
with lutein , zeaxanthin and a lower dose of Zinc in the subsequent AREDS2 study.
It showed that participants with low dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin at the
start of the study were about 25 percent less likely to develop advanced AMD if an
AREDS formulation with lutein and zeaxanthin was taken during the study. It also
found that omega-3 fatty acids had no effect on the formulation. So a healthy diet is
important but these studies appear to suggested that the right formula of nutritional
supplements can benefit some people with poor nutrition and AMD(29).
4. The relationship between sunlight exposure and macular degeneration is not clear
cut. In the EUREYE study (2008) there was no association found for any type
of ultraviolet exposure (UVA, UVB, or short wavelength visible blue light) and early
ARM. However there was a significant association found between blue light
exposure and neovascular AMD in people with low antioxidant levels (vitamin C,
Zeaxanthin, vitamin E, and dietary Zinc).(30)
How would you examine the patient?
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Distance visual acuity, near visual acuity and contrast sensitivity
Amsler grid
Bilateral ophthalmoscopy with mydriasis
Fluorescein angiography (FFA) to determine the extent, type, size and location of
CNV.
Early AMD may have window defects from focal areas of RPE atrophy punctate
hyperflourescent staining of drusen.
Neovascular AMD may have:
1. Classic leakage, defined as lacy pattern of hyperfluorescence during early
choroidal filling that increases with fluorescence throughout the angiogram
and leaks beyond its borders in the late stage.
2. Occult leakage may be a: fibrovascular PED(type 1) defined as stippled
nonhomogenous hyperfluoresence at the RPE level that persist in the late
views; or late leakage of undetermined origin(type 2) where early views show
no apparent leakage but late views show hyperfluorecent stippling at the RPE
level.
3. RAP lesions
4. Polyps in the choroid best seen by video ICG
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is useful to delineate the presence and extent of
intraretinal and subretinal fluid, as well as the presence of CNV and PED. It is
mandatory for diagnosis and monitoring response to therapy.
Indocyanine Green (ICG) is useful when assessing patients with macular haemorrhage
or suspected of having retinal angiomatous proliferative lesions, idiopathic polypoidal
choroidopathy, or vascularised PEDs.
What is the differential diagnosis?
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Dominant drusen
Pattern dystrophy
Best’s disease
Cone dystrophy
Drug toxicity
Conditions mimicking neovascular AMD:
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Central serous retinopathy
Adult vitelliform
Idiopathic perifoveal telangiectasia
Diabetic maculopathy
Stargardt’s disease
Choroidal neovascularisation from other causes:
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Presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome
Angioid streak
Myopic degeneration
Traumatic choroidal rupture
Retinal dystrophies
Inflammatory choroidopathies
Optic nerve drusen
How would you manage the patient?
1. The most important aspect of AMD management is patient education.
2. Patients should be informed that peripheral vision is almost always retained in
AMD.
3. Warn patients with dry AMD of the increased risk of acquiring exudative AMD,
especially if one eye has already been affected.
4. Educate patients that diagnosis at the earliest onset of CNV provide s the
greatest chance of successful treatment.
5. General advice includes :
 Stop smoking
 Eat a low fat, balanced diet full of anti-oxidants, zinc and vitamin D.
This should include fruit and vegetables of a variety of colours, whole
grains, a variety of protein sources such as nuts, fish, and dairy food or
alternate sources of zinc (meat, shellfish), and vitamin D (eggs, fish,
sunlight or supplements).
 There is no evidence from population studies or clinical trials that
dietary supplement use of any kind will lower the risk of developing
AMD.
 AREDS revealed a beneficial effect of very high doses of antioxidants
and zinc in reducing patient’s relative risk of progression to advanced
AMD by 25%. These supplements may be indicated in patients with
advanced AMD in the fellow eye.
Refer for low vision aids and registration with blind services where appropriate.
Neovascular AMD
The aim of treatment is the improvement or stabilization of visual symptoms.
Anti-angiogenic therapies include:
1. Ranibizumab (Lucentis) is a humanised Fab fragment of a monoclonal
antibody that binds to and inhibits the action of all isoforms of VEGF-A.
2. Aflibercept (Eylea) binds and blocks the activity of vascular endothelial growth
factor using a decoy protein.
3. Bevacizumab (Avastin) is a humanised full-length antibody that is derived
4. from the same monoclonal antibody as ranibizumab, There are no long-term
results on safety and effectiveness of intravitreal bevacizumab.
Of the anti-VEGF intravitreal therapies available, current NICE guidelines suggest
Ranibizumab (0.5 mg) or Aflibercept as the first line therapy for subfoveal CNV with
Snellen visual acuity better than 6/96 given as 3 loading doses. Criteria for continuation
of treatment after the three loading doses of Ranibizumab or Aflibercept should be
continued at 4 or 8 weekly intervals respectively if:
 There is persistent evidence of lesion activity
 The lesion continues to respond to repeated treatment
 There are no contra-indications (see below) to continuing treatment.
Patients should be advised of:
 The need for frequent monitoring when commencing a course of intravitreal drug
treatment for AMD. This will be every 4-8 weeks depending on the anti-VEGF
used.
 Treatment and follow- up may need to be continued for up to and beyond 2 years.
 Ranibizumab treatment will only improve vision in a third of patients. The majority
will maintain vision and some 10% will not respond to therapy.
 Patients should understand the risk associated with intravitreal injections including
endophthalmitis.
Further research is required into appropriate duration and optimal treatment regimen in
terms of frequency of injections.
Studies to compare ranibizumab and Bevacizumab include the UK (IVAN Study) and in
the USA (CATT Study) and found the visual outcome of Avastin non- inferior to
Lucentis. The VIEW study confirmed the Aflibercept visual outcome non-inferior to
monthly Lucentis dosing. (31-33)
There may be situations where antiVEGF is unsuitable, including:
 Adverse reaction, or contraindication due to concerns over cardiovascular risk, or
patient preference. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with Verteporfin may be
considered, and has been shown to prevent moderate visual loss (decrease in
six or more lines) in predominantly classic lesions (>50% of the entire lesion) by
the TAP study.(34-36)
 Extrafoveal CNV without an occult component, Focal laser photocoagulation
may be considered. Argon green/yellow or Kryton red laser (200-500 micrometer
spot size) is used to form confluent white burns over the entire CNV and 100
micrometer beyond all boundaries in the following cases (based on the MPS
study criteria):
1) Classic, extrafoveal CNV ,200-2500micrometers from the centre of the foveal
avascular zone (FAZ)
2) Classic, juxtafoveal CNV (<200micromters from the centre of the FAZ or CNV
200-2500 micrometers from centre of FAZ with blood or blocked fluorescence
<200micrometers from FAZ centre.
How does the condition affect vision?
Geographic Atrophy (GA)
Central or pericentral scotomas corresponding to the area of GA
Neovascular AMD
Central or pericentral scotoma
What is the prognosis?
In patients with GA, vision may be maintained unless the foveal centre becomes
involved or exudative AMD develops.
Severe visual loss, defined as loss of >6 lines of vision occurs in 12 % GA.
The natural history of neovascular AMD is one of continuing vision loss unless treated.
Left untreated more than half of all persons will lose more than 3 lines of acuity within
12 months and severe visual loss (defined as loss of >6 lines of vision) occurs in 40 %
of cases over a two year period. Treatment with ranibizumab (standard of care) for two
years will prevent visual loss in 80% and improve visual acuity in approximately onethird (37).
December 2013
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