Home and Community-Based Screening Tools for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Purpose of the Review: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible central vision loss in older adults, and its prevalence is expected to rise in the coming decades. This review explores the emerging role of home and community-based screening tools in facilitating early detection, continuous monitoring, and improved clinical outcomes. Recent Findings: Novel home-based tools such as ForseeHome, Scanly Home OCT, My Vision Track, MacuFix, and SELFF-OCT have shown promise in detecting AMD changes using preferential hyperacuity perimetry and self-operated optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. Community-based efforts, particularly in primary care and underserved settings, have utilized color fundus photography (CFP) and OCT to identify cases of referable AMD. Summary: Home- and community-based screening support a necessary shift towards accessible eye care, given the growing prevalence of AMD, the expanding arsenal of treatments, and the worsening workforce shortage. Continued research into the sensitivity and cost-effectiveness of these tools will be crucial to optimizing their integration into routine care with the goal of improving visual outcomes for patients with AMD.

Duke Scholars

Author Lejla Vajzovic Ophthalmology, Vitreoretinal Diseases & Surgery