An Evaluation of the Relationship Between Clinically Unilateral Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome and Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and clinically unilateral pseudoexfoliation syndrome (XFS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-six patients (152 eyes) with bilateral AMD and clinically unilateral XFS were included. Eyes with AMD were divided into three stages (early, intermediate, and late), based on the Beckman Initiative for Macular Research Classification Committee of fundus findings. The distribution of AMD lesions was assessed in both groups, and the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) was measured using enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

RESULTS: There were significantly more early and intermediate-stage AMD cases in eyes with XFS than in non-XFS fellow eyes (P < .05). In contrast, there were significantly fewer wet AMD cases in XFS eyes than in non-XFS fellow eyes (P < .05). SFCT in all AMD stages was significantly lower in eyes with XFS (P < .05).

CONCLUSION: XFS was associated with a lower prevalence of wet AMD. Further studies are required to elucidate this association. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2018;49:12-19.].