Screening campaign assesses AMD prevalence in France

PARIS — A national screening campaign was launched in 2007 to evaluate the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in France and to provide the French population with more information about the disease and its principal risk factors.

"Detecting AMD at its early stages gives better opportunities for treatment and preservation of vision. We are convinced that by increasing people's awareness, the devastating social and individual consequences of AMD on vision and life can be reduced," V. Le Tien, MD, said at the meeting of the French Society of Ophthalmology.

In several towns, people older than 50 years were invited to free macula screening by fundus photography and non-mydriatic retinography in May and June 2007. Local teams of ophthalmologists were provided with the same classification of signs for age-related maculopathies (large drusen and alterations of the retinal pigment epithelium) and AMD (macular hemorrhages, exudates, retinal pigment epithelium detachment, serous retinal detachment, geographic atrophy). The presence of other cases of AMD in the family, smoking habits, weight and height of each patient were also assessed.

A total of 3,432 people were screened. Of those, 71% were normal. Early forms of AMD were found in 17.7% of the participants, and in 3.6% of the people, more advanced stages of AMD were found.

"The prevalence of AMD that we found through this campaign is in line with the data found in literature," Dr. Le Tien said. "Fundus photography with the aid of non-mydriatic retinography is an effective first step in the diagnosis of potential forms of age-related maculopathies. It allows to rapidly select the patients who need further investigation in specialized centers."