Night vision tests in age-related macular degeneration precisely localize disease mechanisms

Cynthia Owsley and Christine Curcio (UAB), University of Alabama at Birmingham, discovered that night vision tests at a specific location in the retina may be suitable for assessing treatments and preventions for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common cause of vision loss in older people.

Owsley and Curcio lead the Alabama Study on Early Age-related Macular Degeneration (ALSTAR2). This NEI-funded project prospectively assesses more than 500 people over 3 years to determine the best vision test for signaling disease onset and worsening. The study is notable for its large size and focus on early disease.