Night vision tests may help with AMD prevention, treatment

A new study published in Ophthalmology Science offers suggestive data for a new test for early detection of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using rod-mediated dark adaptation (RMDA).

Talk about the study.

The Alabama Study on Early Age-Related Macular Degeneration 2 (ALSTAR2) (NCT04112667) is a prospective cohort study with baseline measurements repeated at a 3-year follow-up. It follows the original ALSTAR study from 2014, which assessed the relationship between dark adaptation and AMD.

Data for ALSTAR2 was originally collected between October 2019 and September 2021 and now has a projected completion date of February 2024.

The study is focused on validating retinal imaging characteristics in early and intermediate AMD with visual function.

Tell me more.

Participants were recruited in three groups: one with normal macular health, one with early AMD, and one with late AMD. Classification was performed using the AREDS 9-step classification system and the Beckman classification system on a single eye for each participant. The presence of subretinal drusen deposits (SDD) was also noted using multimodal imaging.

RMDA was assessed at 5º and 12º using the AdaptDx (LumiThera Diagnostics, Inc) in a dark room after dilation.

Findings?

When comparing RMDA at 5º and 12º in eyes with SDD and eyes with no detectable SDD, researchers found that rod intercept time (RIT) increased with AMD severity, regardless of the presence of SDD.

However, SDD was associated with greater RIT for patients with intermediate severity at 12º.

What else?

RIT was faster at both locations for eyes without SDD, and did not differ in eyes with normal macular health compared to those with early AMD; however, RIT was higher for normal eyes versus intermediate eyes.

The take-home.

The results offer the possibility for more precise measurements of AMD progression.