Abstract
Aims and Purpose
The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and characteristics of drusen and pigmentary changes in a middle-aged population.
Methods
Retinal images from 500 individuals aged 18–54 years were included. The source of participants was two UK optometry practices. Retinal images were graded using the Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System. However, owing to the relatively young age of the population studied, a new category of drusen of smaller size (<31.5 μm) was introduced.
Results
Drusen were identified within the central macular grid in 91.48% of all gradable eyes and in 444 subjects. Drusen sized <31.5 μm were present in 89.7% of eyes, drusen sized >31.5 μm and <63 μm were present in 45.9% of all eyes and drusen >63 μm and <125 μm were present in only 1.7% of eyes. No eye had drusen larger or equal to 125 μm. Very few eyes (1.2%) showed pigmentary changes within the grid. Drusen load increased with increasing age, P <0.001.
Conclusions
The frequency of drusen in a younger Caucasian population aged 18–54 years is high, with 91.48% of all gradable eyes having drusen. The most frequent drusen subtype was hard distinct drusen <31.5 μm. No druse greater or equal in size to 125 μm was seen. Pigmentary changes are rare.
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We wish to acknowledge funding from R&D HPSS NI RRG 4.41.
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This work should be attributed to Centre for Vision & Vascular Science, Queen′s University of Belfast, UK and to Belfast Health & Social Care Trust. Also, this work was presented as a poster at the ARVO Annual Conference 2005, FL, USA (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 3298, 2005).
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Silvestri, G., Williams, M., McAuley, C. et al. Drusen prevalence and pigmentary changes in Caucasians aged 18–54 years. Eye 26, 1357–1362 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.2012.165
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.2012.165
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