Longitudinal change of reticular pseudodrusen area in ultrawide-field imaging

This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal change in the reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) area in the fundus and its association with late age-related macular degeneration (AMD). 91 RPD eyes (55 patients; age 67.9 ± 7.3 years) with > 5 years’ follow-up (6.8 ± 0.9 years) from a single medical center were enrolled. Ultrawide-field photography images were analyzed using the concentric rings method, and the RPD area was semi-quantitatively classified according to the affected segment number into central, intermediate, and extensive types. Correlations of longitudinal changes in the RPD area and late AMD risk were investigated. RPD area increased significantly during the follow-up (p < 0.001). The increase rate correlated with age (r = 0.207; p = 0.048), RPD area at first visit (r = − 0.222; p = 0.035), and the decrease rate of subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) (r = 0.217; p = 0.039). Many central (18/49, 36.7%) and intermediate (15/23, 65.2%) types switched to the more advanced type during the follow-up. Macular neovascularization and geographic atrophy developed in 12.3% and 18.7% of patients by 7 years. Late AMD incidence was significantly higher in eyes with large than in those with small RPD areas (p = 0.002). Larger RPD area at baseline, faster increase in RPD area, thinner SFCT, rapid decrease in SFCT, and the presence of late AMD on fellow eye were associated with late AMD. All RPD areas progressively increase over time. The regular assessment of RPD area may help to predict late AMD risk in RPD eyes.