Abstract

Drusen are the hallmark of age-related macular degeneration, which is the major cause of severe vision loss in older adults in industrialized countries (1). However, the accurate quantification of drusen with standard clinical photography is possible in only a small portion of patients (2), since media changes in elderly subjects degrade image quality. Thus, for both research and patient management purposes, an alternative method of imaging the fundus with infrared light (3) and a scanning laser ophthalmoscope has been developed to visualize subretinal structures (4-5). This imaging technique minimizes both media changes and masking of foveal drusen by macular pigment, since there is a reduced absorption of infrared light by most ocular pigments.

© 1996 Optical Society of America