M-charts as a tool for quantifying metamorphopsia in age-related macular degeneration treated with the bevacizumab injections.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

This article is aimed to assess quantitatively metamorphopsia using M-charts in patients suffering from wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treated with the intravitreal bevacizumab injections and to compare the results with traditional Amsler grid and ocular coherence tomography (OCT).

METHODS:

Thirty-six patients diagnosed with wet AMD were examined one day before and one month after the intraocular injection of bevacizumab. Horizontal and vertical metamorphopsia scores using M-charts, distance visual acuity, Amsler test and OCT were performed at each visit. Additionally, 23 healthy subjects were examined as a control group.

RESULTS:

The rate of metamorphopsia detection was 89% with M-charts and 69% with Amsler test. The horizontal metamorphopsia score improved in 22 patients, the vertical metamorphopsia score improved in 16 patients, the Amsler grid results improved in 6 patients, visual acuity improved in 17 patients. There was no correlation between the degree of metamorphopsia and the visual acuity or the central retinal thickness (CRT). The specificity of both the M-charts and Amsler grid was 100%.

CONCLUSIONS:

The rate of metamorphopsia detection in wet AMD patients was better with M-charts than with Amsler grid. M-charts may be used in the assessment of efficacy of treatment with intravitreal bevacizumab injections as another outcome measure, moreover they can be used even at home for the self-assessment. M-charts provide additional information concerning the visual function, independent of the visual acuity, CRT and morphological changes in OCT.

• Authors: Katarzyna Nowomiejska, Agnieszka Oleszczuk, Agnieszka Brzozowska, Andrzej Grzybowski, Katarzyna Ksiazek, Ryszard Maciejewski, Piotr Ksiazek, Anselm Juenemann, Robert Rejdak
• Journal: BMC ophthalmology (BMC Ophthalmol) Vol. 13 Pg. 13 (Apr 15 2013) ISSN: 1471-2415 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23587218 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Angiogenesis Inhibitors
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Bevacizumab

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Angiogenesis Inhibitors (administration & dosage)
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized (administration & dosage)
• Bevacizumab
• Case-Control Studies
• Female
• Humans
• Intravitreal Injections
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Tomography, Optical Coherence
• Vision Disorders (diagnosis)
• Vision Tests (instrumentation)
• Visual Acuity
• Wet Macular Degeneration (diagnosis, drug therapy)