A Pilot Study on Wet Age Related Macular Degeneration in Chennai and Some Parts of Kerala

Background: Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness that leads to an irreversible loss of vision among elderly population. The prevalence of AMD in India is likely to increase due to high population growth and increased life expectancy of the individuals. The epidemiology of AMD in India is similar to those found in developed countries. Materials and Methods: A pilot study based on a clinical survey was conducted, in which 77 ophthalmologists were interviewed in Chennai and some parts of Kerala using a structured questionnaire. The parameters studied were number of AMD patients seen by the doctor, age and genderbased distribution, risk factors like smoking and family history, and treatment methods. Preliminary statistical calculation was done to interpret the information obtained from the survey. Results: The incidence of dry AMD is more than wet AMD in our study area. AMD was observed to be higher in population aged 60 years and above. Age and smoking were found to be the main risk factors for AMD. Lucentis and Avastin were the most commonly used anti-VEGFs for the treatment of wet AMD. The efficacy of Lucentis was found to be better than Avastin and Macugen. Conclusion: Our data reveals the current trend (2015-2016) of incidence, determinants and treatments of AMD in a small part of South Indian population. This information would be helpful in designing further full scale studies to determine the actual magnitude of the disease.