Background: The purpose of the present study was to investigate regional fundus pulsations in age-related macular degeneration
(AMD) patients with subretinal neovascular membranes. • Methods: Local fundus pulsation amplitudes (FPAs) were measured in
12 patients with AMD with classic neovascular membranes. Measurements were performed directly on the membrane and adjacent
to the membrane. FPAs were assessed with a recently developed laser interferometric method. FPA measurements were performed
in 12 healthy subjects at similar posterior pole locations. • Results: In AMD patients FPAs were consistently lower when measured
directly on the neovascular membrane (“inside”) than at measurement sites around the membrane (“outside”). The difference
in FPA was 26 ± 3% (mean ± SEM, range 13–40%,
P < 0.0001). In healthy subjects, however, FPAs were significantly higher at the measurement points corresponding to “inside”
points (15 ± 4%,
P < 0.0006). • Conclusions: We have shown that FPAs are reduced at classic neovascular membranes in patients with AMD. The mechanism
behind this finding remains unclear. Hence, future studies have to ascertain whether this observation is associated with changes
in fundus layers or with local choroidal perfusion abnormalities.
Received: 17 February 1997 Revised version received: 29 April 1997 Accepted: 26 May 1997