👁️ Dry AMD & Geographic Atrophy Simulator

Drusen Deposit Accumulation

Drusen form beneath the RPE as early debris deposits.

• Soft: Drusen type (confluent, poorly demarcated)
• Sub-RPE: Location (between RPE and Bruch membrane)
• Age: Risk factor (most common after 60)
• Fundus exam: Visibility (yellow deposits seen)

Drusen formation basics

Placeholder: lipid and protein debris accumulate under the retina.

Early Dry AMD

Mild pigment changes accompany scattered drusen deposits.

• Early: AREDS category (mild risk classification)
• Minimal: Symptom level (often asymptomatic)
• Mottling: Pigment change (RPE hyper/hypo-pigmentation)
• Low-Med: Progression risk (depends on drusen burden)

Early-stage findings

Placeholder: subtle pigmentary irregularity marks early disease.

RPE Atrophy Onset

Focal RPE cell loss creates the first atrophic spots.

• Focal: Atrophy onset (small isolated spots)
• Coupled: Photoreceptor loss (follows RPE death)
• OCT/FAF: Imaging tool (detects early atrophy)
• None: Reversibility (atrophy is permanent)

Onset mechanism

Placeholder: RPE cells die off, exposing underlying tissue.

Geographic Atrophy Expansion

Atrophic patches enlarge and coalesce across the macula.

• ~1.7 mm²/yr: Growth rate (average GA enlargement)
• Coalescent: Pattern (patches merge over time)
• Exposed: Choroid (visible through atrophy)
• Complement inhibitors: Treatment (slow progression)

Expansion pattern

Placeholder: atrophic area grows outward from the fovea region.

Central Vision Loss Assessment

Amsler grid testing reveals the growing central scotoma.

• Amsler grid: Test used (central field screening)
• Scotoma: Symptom (central blind spot)
• Severe: Acuity impact (if fovea involved)
• Preserved: Peripheral vision (usually unaffected)

Functional testing

Placeholder: grid distortion and blind spots map vision loss.

Clinical implication

Placeholder: central loss impairs reading, faces, and driving.

Placeholder: early detection helps preserve remaining central vision.