Long-Term Follow-Up of Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration Patients.

PURPOSE: To assess the progression rate from dry age-related macular degeneration (dAMD) to advanced AMD and possible risk factors.

METHODS

Demographics, medical and ocular conditions, baseline eye examinations, optical coherence tomography features, and progression rates to advanced AMD were collected.

RESULTS

We included 74 eyes from 47 dAMD patients, with a mean age of 74.58 ± 8.29 years and 38.30% males. During a follow-up period of 8.9 ± 0.4 years, 40 eyes (54.05%) progressed to advanced AMD, with 25 eyes (33.78%) developing neovascular AMD (nAMD) and 22 eyes (29.72%) progressing to geographic atrophy (GA). Patients progressing to advanced AMD were older (77.8 ± 6.5 vs. 73.8 ± 9.5, P = 0.03). A higher incidence of open-angle glaucoma (OAG) was noted in progressing eyes (32.5% vs. 8.8%, P = 0.01), along with thinner baseline central macular thickness (CMT) (247.93 ± 32.55 vs. 268.67 ± 16.75, P = 0.007). Smokers with OAG had a higher tendency to develop nAMD (P < 0.05). Females with lower best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were more likely to develop GA (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The progression rate to advanced AMD was 54.05% over 8.9 ± 0.4 years. Advanced age, reduced baseline CMT, and lower BCVA were linked to progression. OAG and smoking were associated with higher nAMD, while females had a higher risk of GA.