Two AREDS2 ancillary studies presented at ARVO

Orlando, FL-Two reports from Optos Peripheral Retina studies, which are ancillary studies for Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2), were presented last week at ARVO.

One poster, titled “Ultra Wide Field Autofluorescence Imaging in Age Related Macular Degeneration- Optos Peripheral Retina (OPERA) Age Related Eye Disease Study 2(AREDS2) Ancillary Study,” presented by Amitha Domalpally, MD, aimed to “characterize abnormalities in the peripheral retina using ultrawidefield autofluorescence images in eyes with age related macular degeneration.”

According to the abstract, the study found that a “large number of eyes with AMD have autofluorescence abnormalities in the midperiphery and one third in the peripheral retina. An irregular AF pattern corresponding to reticular pigmentary changes was the most common peripheral abnormality. UWF imaging with steered views allows evaluation of the peripheral retina, overcoming artifacts due to lids and lashes.”

“OPTOS Ultrawidefield Color and Autofluorescence images were evaluated for peripheral abnormalities in more than a 1000 eyes with AMD in the OPERA Study, an AREDS2 ancillary study,” says Dr. Domalpally. “Peripheral retinal abnormalities were seen in 50% of eyes with at least intermediate AMD indicating that the disease is not confined to the posterior pole.”

The second study, presented by Thomas Friberg, MD, and titled, “Peripheral Retinal Findings in color images in Age-Related Macular Degeneration – OPERA, an AREDS 2 Ancillary Study,” aimed to determine “the prevalence of peripheral retinal abnormalities in eyes of Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS 2) subjects with at least one large druse in the macula of each eye or with late AMD in the macula of one eye.” 

According to the abstract, the study found that “Peripheral retinal abnormalities are very common in eyes with at least intermediate age-related macular degeneration. Drusen were found outside of the posterior pole in up to 75% of eyes. Reticular pigmentary degeneration was the most common pigmentary abnormality in our subjects. Peripheral retinal phenotypic features may have implications regarding the risk of visual loss in AMD patients.”