Probing Deposit-Driven Age-Related Macular Degeneration Via Thicknesses of Outer Retinal Bands and Choroid: ALSTAR2 Baseline.

Purpose: We aimed to identify structural differences in normal eyes, early age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and intermediate AMD eyes using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in a well-characterized, large cross-sectional cohort.

Methods: Subjects ≥ 60 years with healthy normal eyes, as well as early or intermediate AMD were enrolled in the Alabama Study on Age-related Macular Degeneration 2 (ALSTAR2; NCT04112667). Using Spectralis HRA + OCT2, we obtained macular volumes for each participant.

Potential Structural Biomarkers in 3D Images Validated by the First Functional Biomarker for Early Age-Related Macular Degeneration - ALSTAR2 Baseline.

Purpose: Lack of valid end points impedes developing therapeutic strategies for early age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Delayed rod-mediated dark adaptation (RMDA) is the first functional biomarker for incident early AMD. The relationship between RMDA and the status of outer retinal bands on optical coherence tomography (OCT) have not been well defined.

Potential Structural Biomarkers in 3D Images Validated by the First Functional Biomarker for Early Age-Related Macular Degeneration - ALSTAR2 Baseline.

Purpose: While intermediate and late age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) have been widely investigated, rare studies were focused on the pathophysiologic mechanism of early AMD. Delayed rod-mediated dark adaptation (RMDA) is the first functional biomarker for incident early AMD. The status of outer retinal bands on optical coherence tomography (OCT) may be potential imaging biomarkers and the purpose is to investigate the hypothesis that the integrity of interdigitation zone (IZ) may provide insight into the health of photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in early AMD.