DrusenThe most common early sign of age related macular degeneration (ARMD) is drusen. Drusen are yellow deposits under the retina. They are often found in people over age 60. Dr. Deupree can detect drusen during a comprehensive dilated eye exam. Drusen alone do not usually cause vision loss. In fact, scientists are unclear about the connection between drusen and ARMD. They do know that an increase in the size or number of drusen raises a person's risk of developing either advanced dry ARMD or wet ARMD. These changes can lead to vision loss.
Drusen occur in two different forms: hard and soft drusen. It is the soft drusen that are more predisposed to wet macular degeneration occurrence, especially when they clump together. They can be associated with CNVM, a network of abnormal, leaky blood vessels. Patients with soft drusen should get regular dilated eye exams. More about macular degeneration Ref: National Eye Institute | 
