The Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group (AREDS) has developed a simplified scale for evaluating a patient for the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The authors are from multiple institutions in the United States.
Patient selection: advanced AMD absent in both eyes
Parameters:
(1) number of large drusen in each eye
(2) presence of any pigment abnormality
(3) number of intermediate drusen in each eye
|
Parameter |
Finding |
Points |
|
large drusen in left eye |
0 |
0 |
|
|
>= 1 |
1 |
|
large drusen in right eye |
0 |
0 |
|
|
>= 1 |
1 |
|
pigment abnormality in left eye |
none |
0 |
|
|
any present |
1 |
|
pigment abnormality in right eye |
none |
0 |
|
|
any present |
1 |
|
intermediate drusen |
any large drusen present |
0 |
|
|
>=1 in 1 eye only and no large drusen |
0 |
|
|
>=1 in both eyes and no large drusen present |
1 |
where:
• Large drusen have a shortest diameter >= 125 microns (one twelfth of he average disc diameter of 1.5 mm, or the diameter of an average normal retinal vein at the disc margin) as defined on page 1571, column 2.
• Intermediate drusen have a diameter >= 63 microns (greater than or equal to half of the diameter of a large drusen).
total score =
= SUM(points for all of 5 measures)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 4
• The higher the score the greater the risk of age-related macular degeneration developing in one or both eyes within 5 years.
|
Total Score |
Risk of Advanced AMD in 1 or Both Eyes in 5 Year |
|
0 |
0.5% |
|
1 |
3% |
|
2 |
12% |
|
3 |
25% |
|
4 |
50% |
see Figure 6. page 1573.
Specialty: Ophthalmology
