Description

An effective screening programme requires several key components to be successful. First, the natural history of the condition needs to be well understood. Next, a clear threshold for referral must be established and finally, effective intervention must be available to treat the condition in question. In ophthalmology, the most effective screening programme we have is for diabetic retinopathy (DR). Here, the natural history and thresholds are well established, and treatment in the form of pan-retinal photocoagulation is effective in preventing progression to visually threatening DR.

While there is consensus regarding features that predispose to late AMD, at an individual level, risk, rate and pattern of progression remain unpredictable therefore there is a need to develop effective AMD screening. This is in contrast to diabetic retinopathy because the natural history is well understood and the risk of vision loss increases sharply in those with referrable DR. In AMD, this threshold is not yet established.

As there is currently no standardized screening protocol for early AMD, especially in the community-based setting and community hospital settings, our study aims to understand the natural progression of AMD in the elderly and establish a referrable threshold before visually threatening AMD occurs. This will ultimately inform a comprehensive and standardized community-based screening approach for AMD.