English

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Age related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a common, progressive degenerative disorder of the macula and affects people above 50. Degenerative lesions of macula have been classified clinicaly in to two forms the dry and the wet/ neovascular, both the forms can lead on to loss of vision. Fundus photography and fluorescein angiography is highly valuable in the diagnosis, management and for monitoring the treatment of retinal and macular diseases.Optical coherence tomography is now becoming a popular tool in the early diagnosis of age related macular degeneration. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of our study is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of Optical Coherence Tomography with Fundus Fluorescein angiography in diagnosing Age Related Macular Degeneration MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective randomized hospital based study. The period of our study was from JUNE 2013 - AUG 2014. Institutional ethical committee approval for conducting the study was Obtained. 50 patients presenting to the ophthalmology department of Stanley Medical College who are diagnosed to have age related macular degeneration clinically were subjected to fundus fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography and observations were made. INCLUSION CRITERIA: patients newly diagnosed clinically as ARMD. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Patients already diagnosed to have ARMD and on treatment, Patients having coexisting other retinal and macular diseases, Patients with significant media opacities, Previous laser treatment RESULTS: Maximum number of patients are in the age group of 50-70 yrs. female preponderance. Dry ARMD i common among females (34 %) and wet ARMD common in males (26%), smoking being the risk factor. 88% had bilateral disease. 62% of the eyes by FFA and 61% of the eyes by OCT had dry ARMD and 32% of the eyes by FFA and 33% by OCT had wet ARMD. In our study both FFA and OCT showed subfoveal CNVM as the most common type of classic CNVM. CONCLUSION: Fundus Fluorescein Angiography is the gold standard tool for screening ARMD and OCT is more specific in detecting early sub- retinal neo vascular membrane and also to assess the activity of the neovascular membranes. Hence OCT is superior to FFA in diagnosing early wet ARMD and thus helps in early management of patients with ARMD.