ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Exudative age-related macular degeneration (e-AMD) may cause severe central vision loss. Patients with e-AMD can experience difficulties in daily basic activities and suffer from psychological problems. Our aim was to assess quality of life (QoL) and anxiety and depression status among patients with e-AMD. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study in a state university. METHODS: We included 200 e-AMD patients and 120 age and gender-matched controls. We assessed QoL using the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (NEI-VFQ-25) and the Short Form (SF)-36 test; and anxiety and depression status using the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scales A and D (HADS-A and HADS-D). RESULTS: The mean ages in the e-AMD and control groups were 68.40 ± 9.8 and 66.31 ± 8.98, respectively. Visual acuity among e-AMD patients was 0.37 ± 0.31 and 0.39 ± 0.32 in the right and left eyes, respectively. The e-AMD patients performed significantly worse than the controls in NEI-VFQ-25 (P < 0.05 for all items). The proportions of e-AMD patients scoring higher than the cutoffs in HADS-A and HADS-D were significantly higher than among the controls (41.5% versus 12.5% and 63.5% versus 27.5%; P < 0.001). The e-AMD patients had significantly lower mean scores than the controls for each of the SF-36 QoL items (P < 0.001). The NEI-VFQ-25 scores were significantly lower among patients with bilateral e-AMD than among those with unilateral disease (P < 0.05 for all). The HADS scores were positively correlated with duration of e-AMD and patient age, but negatively with vision levels (P < 0.05 for all items). CONCLUSION: The e-AMD patients had higher depression and anxiety scores and lower QoL scores.

RESUMO Objetivo: Comparar as medidas de espessura central corneana (CCT) de indivíduos saudáveis obtidos pela paquimetria ultrassônica (UP) e microscopia especular sem contato (NCSM). Método: Cento e quarenta e oito olhos de 74 indivíduos que não tinham doenças oculares ou sistêmicas foram incluídos no estudo. Medidas da espessura central corneana de todos os pacientes foram comparadas entre UP (SP 100, Tomey, Nagoya, Japão) e do NCSM (NSP-9900, Konan Medical, Inc., Hyogo, Japão). Resultados: Um total de 74 indivíduos (38 mulheres) foram incluídos neste estudo. A idade média foi de 45,2 ± 18,4 (variação 12-85) anos. A medida média da espessura central corneana de todos os 148 olhos foi 546,9 ± 40 μm com UP e 510,8 ± 42 μm com NCSM. A espessura central corneana média avaliada pelo NCSM foi de 35 μm mais fina do que a UP (p<0,001). Foi encontrado um elevado grau de concordância entre os dois métodos (r=0,942, p<0,001). Conclusões: Nossos resultados sugerem que a microscopia especular sem contato mede córneas mais finas em comparação com a UP e que o fator de correção identificado deve ser aplicado ao fazer comparações entre esses dois aparelhos.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To compare central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements of healthy individuals obtained with ultrasonic pachymetry (UP) and non-contact specular microscopy (NCSM). Method: In total, 148 eyes of 74 subjects with no ocular or systemic diseases were included in the study. Central corneal thickness measurements of all patients performed with UP and NCCM were compared. Results: A total of 74 subjects (38 females) were included in this study. The mean age was 45.2 ± 18.4 (range 12-85) years. The mean central corneal thickness of all 148 eyes was 546.9 ± 40 μm with UP and 510.8 ± 42 μm with NCSM. The mean central corneal thickness measured with NCSM was 35 μm thinner than that measured with UP (p<0.001). A high degree of agreement was found between the two methods (r=0.942, p<0.001). Conclusions: Our results suggest that NCSM measures thinner corneas than UP and that the correction formula we identified should be applied when comparing between these two devices.