Correlation between Visual Functions and Retinal Morphology in Eyes with Early and Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration

In early and intermediate age related macular degeneration (ARMD), visual acuity alone has failed to explain the complete variation of vision. The aim of the present study was to determine correlation between different visual functions and retinal morphology in eyes with early and intermediate ARMD. In this single center cross sectional study, patients diagnosed as early or intermediate ARMD in at least one eye were recruited. Visual functions measured were best- corrected distance visual acuity (DVA), near vision acuity (NVA), reading speed (RS), and contrast sensitivity (CS). Parameters such as thickness (RT) and volume (RV) of the retina, outer retinal layer thickness (ORLT) and volume (ORLV), outer nuclear layer thickness (ONLT) and volume (ONLV), retinal pigment epithelium layer-Bruch's membrane complex thickness (RPET) and volume (RPEV) were assessed employing semi-auto segmentation method of Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT). Twenty-six eyes were evaluated. DVA, CS, and RS showed significantly good correlation with RPET, ONLT, and ONLV, whereas NVA showed good correlation with ONLV and RPET. The present study concluded that RS, CS, NVA, and DVA represent the morphological alteration in early stages and should be tested in clinical settings. ONLT, ONLV, and RPET morphological parameters can be employed as important biomarkers in diagnosis of early to intermediate ARMD.