Purpose: To establish the prevalence of drusen in a population of over-65 year subjects residing in institutions.
Material and method: A medical interview, ophthalmological examinations and midriatic retinography were performed in 392 older-than-65 year subjects living in homes for the elder (784 eyes). Each eye was reviewed by means of the Wissconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System, in order to determine drusen frequency.
Results: Druses frequency totalled 33.3%. A great trend to symmetry was observed; bilateral in 23% of patients. The most frequent finding was multiple units (40 to 59 per eye), well defined soft drusen of 125 micrometer in size, which showed very little tendency to confluence. Twelve to 24% of macular area was affected by drusen. Subjects between ages of 65 to 74, presented the highest frequence. Drusen decreased with age from 75 years upwards.
Conclusion: The observed drusen frequency found appear lower than those described in other studies outside our country, perhaps due to higher prevalence of media opacities. Midriatic retinography can be a good screening method for the detection of drusen.