Monitoring retinal function in early age-related maculopathy: visual performance after 1 year

Purpose To monitor visual performance in early age-related maculopathy (ARM). Methods We measured monocular visual function - high-contrast visual acuity (HC-VA), central visual fields (mean sensitivity, MS), colour vision (desaturated Panel D-15), Pelli-Robson (P-R), and cone- and rod-mediated multifocal electroretinograms (mfERG) in 13 ARM subjects and 13 age-matched control subjects with normal fundi at baseline and after 1 year. All had visual acuity of 6/12 or better. The mfERG data were compared to templates derived from the control group at baseline. We analysed the mfERG results by averaging the central and peripheral fields and the superior and inferior fields (CP and SI methods) and by calculating the local responses. Results The mean rod-mediated responses were significantly delayed in the ARM group for the CP (P = 0.04) and the SI methods (P = 0.03) at baseline compared to the control group. This did not change significantly after 1 year, whereas the mean cone- mediated responses were within the normal range at both times. Although the local analysis revealed lower amplitudes for the cone- and rod-mediated responses at baseline this was not found after 1 year and only the local rod-mediated latencies were delayed at both times (P < 0.01). HC-VA, desaturated Panel D-15 and P-R were significantly worse in the ARM group (P <= 0.01) at baseline but did not show further significant deterioration. Progressive fundus changes were found in only two subjects (18%). Conclusion Although there was significant impairment of retinal function in early ARM at baseline no further deterioration was evident after 1 year.