Abstract
Purpose. To evaluate association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods. 195 men enrolled in this cross-sectional study. 90 of them had neovascular AMD and 105 of them were healthy volunteers. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire's erectile function (EF) domain was used to assess ED. The patients in the study and control groups were statistically compared according to visual acuity, EF score, and body mass index. Results. The mean ages were 62 (54.5–73) and 60 (54–68), in the neovascular AMD and control groups, respectively. The total EF scores were 9 (6–16) in neovascular AMD and 18 (9.5–27) in control group. The results of IIEF questionnaire on neovascular AMD patients revealed that 85 men (94.4%) had some degree of ED, whereas 68 men (64.8%) had some degree of ED on control group. Patients with neovascular AMD had a significantly higher incidence of ED than control patients (P < 0.01). There was a significant association between ED and neovascular AMD (P < 0.01). Conclusions. Our results suggested that neovascular AMD has a high association with ED.
Highlights
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in industrialized countries affecting individuals over the age of 55 [1]
In Group 2, the results of the patients’ erectile function (EF) domain score revealed that 33 (31.4%) had severe Erectile dysfunction (ED), 16 (15.2%) had moderate ED, 19 (18.1%) had mild ED, and 37 (35.2 %) had no ED. 95% of subjects had some degree of ED in AMD group
We examined the relationship between neovascular AMD and ED
Summary
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in industrialized countries affecting individuals over the age of 55 [1]. The main cause of vision loss in neovascular AMD is the development of choroidal neovascularization, which is the result of a break in a structural layer beneath the retina known as Bruch’s membrane, which separates the nourishing vascular layer called the choroid from the retina. These vessels can leak fluid or blood, initially distorting or blurring vision, and may eventually lead to scar in the macula and severe loss of central vision [3]. The impact of ED can be devastating because evidence has shown that sexual function is one of the very important indices of quality of life [8]
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