VITAMIN D LEVEL AND ITS LINK WITH VISUAL ACUITY AND CONTRAST SENSITIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

Abstract

The aim: Determination of vitamin D level and its connection with visual functions in patients with age-related macular degeneration, dry form. Materials and methods: We analyzed the data of studies (25(OH)D3 levels (nmol/l), LogMAR visual acuity and Logarithmic contrast sensitivity) of 2 groups of women of postmenopausal age: 1 group (58 people – 58 eyes) – patients with age-related macular degeneration (dry form) – study group; 2 group (29 people – 29 eyes) – people without ophthalmic pathology – control group. Results: In the study group, 37 patients (63,8%) had vitamin D deficiency, 21 people (36,2%) had vitamin D insufficiency. In the control group, these figures were 69% and 31%, respectively. These indicators were defined as low (the normal supply of vitamin D is considered to be 100 nmol/l and more). Visual acuity due to ETDRS chart in the study group was 0,22±0,04 (in patients with vitamin D deficiency) and 0,12±0,03 (in patients with vitamin D insuffi¬ciency), in the control group – 0,13±0,04 and 0,05±0,04 respectively. In the control group, the logarithmic values of contrast sensitivity (log CS) were 1,58±0,04 log CS (in patients with vitamin D deficiency) and 1,62±0,02 log CS (in patients with vitamin D insufficiency). For patients from the study group, these figures were reduced to 0,98±0,1 log CS and 1,10±0,06 log CS respectively. Conclusions: Patients with age-related macular degeneration, dry form, have low levels of vitamin D, with a predominance of its deficiency. It has been determined that with age-related macular degeneration, functional losses are observed when perceiving objects of low contrast.