Test-Retest Variability and Discriminatory Power of Measurements From Microperimetry and Dark Adaptation Assessment in People With Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration - A MACUSTAR Study Report.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess test-retest variability and discriminatory power of measures from macular integrity assessment (S-MAIA) and AdaptDx.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 167 people with intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD), no AMD (controls; n = 54), early AMD (n = 28), and late AMD (n = 41), recruited across 18 European ophthalmology centers. Repeat measures of mesopic and scotopic S-MAIA average (mean) threshold (MMAT decibels [dB] and SMAT [dB]) and rod intercept time (RIT [mins]) at 2 visits 14 (±7) days apart were recorded.

Repeatability and Discriminatory Power of Chart-Based Visual Function Tests in Individuals With Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A MACUSTAR Study Report.

Importance: There is a need for validated clinical end points that are reliably able to quantify potential therapeutic effects of future treatments targeting age-related macular degeneration (AMD) before the onset of serious visual impairment.

Objective: To assess the reliability and discriminatory power of 5 simple chart-based visual function (VF) tests as potential measures for clinical trial end points with regulatory and patient-access intention in intermediate AMD (iAMD).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This international noninterventional study took place at 18 tertiary ophthalmology departments across Europe.

Electrophysiological Assessment in Birdshot Chorioretinopathy: Flicker Electroretinograms Recorded With a Handheld Device.

Purpose: The flicker electroretinogram (ERG) is a sensitive indicator of retinal dysfunction in birdshot chorioretinopathy (BCR). We explored recordings from a handheld device in BCR, comparing these with conventional recordings in the same patients and with handheld ERGs from healthy individuals.

Methods: Non-mydriatic flicker ERGs, using the handheld RETeval system (LKC Technologies), were recorded with skin electrodes at two centers.

Optimising assessment of dark adaptation data using time to event analysis.

In age-related macular degeneration (AMD) research, dark adaptation has been found to be a promising functional measurement. In more severe cases of AMD, dark adaptation cannot always be recorded within a maximum allowed time for the test (~ 20-30 min). These data are recorded either as censored data-points (data capped at the maximum test time) or as an estimated recovery time based on the trend observed from the data recorded within the maximum recording time.

Are Current Methods of Measuring Dark Adaptation Effective in Detecting the Onset and Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration? A Systematic Literature Review.

Introduction: Dark adaptation (DA) has been proposed as a possible functional biomarker for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In this systematic review we aim to evaluate current methodology used to assess DA in people with AMD, the evidence of precision in detecting the onset and progression of AMD, and the relationship between DA and other functional and structural measures.

Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES were searched for studies published between January 2006 and January 2020 that assessed DA in people with AMD.

Novel computer-based assessments of everyday visual function in people with age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that the performance in novel computer-based tasks of everyday visual function worsens with disease severity in people with non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: Participants with and without non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration (≥60 years, minimum logMAR binocular visual acuity 0.7) performed a series of standard visual function tests and two novel computer-based tasks.

How is the risk of being diagnosed with referable diabetic retinopathy affected by failure to attend diabetes eye screening appointments?

Background/aims: This study examines the anecdotal impression that in diabetes eye screening there is a relationship between number of consecutive missed screening appointments and the incidence of referable retinopathy at the next screening appointment that is attended.

Methods: A retrospective observational audit was conducted of data from 62,067 people who were due for annual diabetes eye screening in the North East London Diabetes Eye Screening Programme between January 2010 and January 2017, and who had missed at least one screening appointment within that time.

Results: Missing 5 consecutive screening appointments increased the incidence of referable retinopathy from a programme average of 4% up to 15%.

Functional Imaging of the Outer Retinal Complex using High Fidelity Imaging Retinal Densitometry.

We describe a new technique, high fidelity Imaging Retinal Densitometry (IRD), which probes the functional integrity of the outer retinal complex. We demonstrate the ability of the technique to map visual pigment optical density and synthesis rates in eyes with and without macular disease. A multispectral retinal imaging device obtained precise measurements of retinal reflectance over space and time.

The Effect of Systemic Hyperoxia and Hypoxia on Scotopic Thresholds in People with Early and Intermediate Age-related Macular Degeneration.

: Morphological retinal changes combined with functional evidence implicate hypoxia in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, the role of hypoxia in the scotopic threshold deficit reported in AMD has not been investigated. This study compared scotopic thresholds in participants with early and intermediate AMD recorded under conditions of systemic hypoxia, hyperoxia and normoxia.

Correction: 'You've got dry macular degeneration, end of story': a qualitative study into the experience of living with non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Measuring dynamic levels of self-perceived anxiety and concern during simulated mobility tasks in people with non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Background/aims: To assess response to real-world mobility scenarios in people with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using a computer-based test.

Methods: Participants were shown 18 point-of-view computer-based movies simulating walking through real-world scenarios, and pressed a button during scenes which would cause them self-perceived anxiety or concern in their day-to-day life. Button pressure was recorded throughout.

'You've got dry macular degeneration, end of story': a qualitative study into the experience of living with non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Background/objectives: To investigate the impact of non-neovascular (dry) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) on the person with respect to diagnosis, vision loss and coping strategies.

Subjects/methods: Volunteers with dry AMD with a range of disease severity were given an eye examination and asked to describe aspects of their experience with dry AMD in a semi-structured interview. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and subjected to Framework analysis.

The Relationship Between the Photopic Negative Response and Retinal Ganglion Cell Topography.

Purpose: To assess the topographic relationship between the photopic negative response (PhNR) and retinal ganglion cell distribution in healthy individuals.

Method: Data was recorded from 16 healthy participants. The amplitude of PhNRs obtained in response to focal long duration (250 ms) and brief flash (5 ms), red (660 nm) on blue (469 nm) stimuli of increasing size (5° - full field) were measured.

An Evaluation of a Battery of Functional and Structural Tests as Predictors of Likely Risk of Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate the ability of visual function and structural tests to identify the likely risk of progression from early/intermediate to advanced AMD, using the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) simplified scale as a surrogate for risk of progression. The secondary aim was to determine the relationship between disease severity grade and the observed functional and structural deficits.

Methods: A total of 100 participants whose AMD status varied from early to advanced were recruited.

Low-Level Nighttime Light Therapy for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Purpose: To investigate the safety, acceptability, and effectiveness of light therapy on the progression of AMD over 12 months.

Methods: This was a phase I/IIa, prospective, proof-of-concept, single-center, unmasked randomized controlled trial. Sixty participants (55 to 88 years) with early AMD in the study eye and neovascular AMD (nAMD) in the fellow eye were recruited from a hospital nAMD clinic.

Determining Optimal Test Parameters for Assessing Dark Adaptation in People With Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: The primary aim was to determine optimal test conditions for evaluating dark adaptation in intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD) in order to minimize test time while maintaining diagnostic sensitivity.

Methods: People with AMD and age-similar controls were recruited (aged >55 years). Rod intercept time (RIT) was assessed after a 76%, 70%, and 65% rhodopsin bleach at 5° eccentricity and 76% and 70% bleach at 12°.

Effect of varying skin surface electrode position on electroretinogram responses recorded using a handheld stimulating and recording system.

Purpose: A handheld device (the RETeval system, LKC Technologies) aims to increase the ease of electroretinogram (ERG) recording by using specially designed skin electrodes, rather than corneal electrodes. We explored effects of electrode position on response parameters recorded using this device.

Methods: Healthy adult twins were recruited from the TwinsUK cohort and underwent recording of light-adapted flicker ERGs (corresponding to international standard stimuli).

The effect of non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration on face recognition performance.

Purpose: There is a well-established research base surrounding face recognition in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, much of this existing research does not differentiate between results obtained for 'wet' AMD and 'dry' AMD. Here, we test the hypothesis that face recognition performance is worse in patients with dry AMD compared with visually healthy peers.

Seeing it differently: self-reported description of vision loss in dry age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: A realistic description of visual symptoms associated with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is important for raising awareness of the condition and educating patients. This study aimed to develop a set of descriptors for dry AMD and examine the realism of images currently and frequently used to show visual symptoms of the condition.

Methods: Volunteers with dry AMD with a range of disease severity were given an eye examination and were asked to describe visual symptoms of their condition in a conversational interview.

How does age-related macular degeneration affect real-world visual ability and quality of life? A systematic review.

Objectives: To review systematically the evidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affecting real-world visual ability and quality of life (QoL). To explore trends in specific topics within this body of the literature.

Design: Systematic review.

Electrophysiological ON and OFF Responses in Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy.

Purpose: To assess the effect of autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA) on ON and OFF retinal ganglion cell (RGC) function by evaluating the ON and OFF components of the photopic negative response (PhNR).

Methods: Twelve participants from six families with OPA1 ADOA and 16 age-matched controls were recruited. Electrophysiological assessment involved pattern ERGs (PERGs), focal (20°) and full-field long-duration (250 ms) flash ERGs using a red light-emitting diode flash on a rod-saturating blue background, and full-field brief (300 μs) xenon flash ERGs using a red filter over a continuous rod saturating blue background.

An evaluation of two candidate functional biomarkers for AMD.

Purpose: To evaluate the intersession repeatability of the Colour Assessment and Diagnosis (CAD) test and a novel 14-Hz flicker test in a population of healthy participants to provide benchmark data for their use as functional biomarkers for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Visual function was assessed using both techniques in 30 healthy adults (mean [standard deviation] age 36.3 [14.

Low-level night-time light therapy for age-related macular degeneration (ALight): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness among older adults in the developed world. The only treatments currently available, such as ranibizumab injections, are for neovascular AMD, which accounts for only 10 to 15% of people with the condition. Hypoxia has been implicated as one of the primary causes of AMD, and is most acute at night when the retina is most metabolically active.

Detection of early age-related macular degeneration using novel functional parameters of the focal cone electroretinogram.

The focal cone electroretinogram is a sensitive marker for macular disease, but have we unlocked its full potential? Typically assessment of waveform parameters is subjective and focuses on a small number of locations (e.g. the a-wave).