{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.030096536059057353, 'fraction_numerical': 0.022146507666098807, 'mean_word_length': 5.477941176470588, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
PREVALENCE OF PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION IN AN URBAN POPULATION

Purpose: To determine the number and type of new cases of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) present in a defined urban population and to establish the proportion that would be recommended for treatment with verteporfin or laser photocoagulation. Methods: Patients referred to an ophthalmic center in Vienna during a 10-week period because of recent deterioration in vision caused by newly diagnosed neovascular AMD were included. Results: Neovascular AMD was diagnosed in 168 eyes in 153 patients. One hundred one eyes (60.1%) had lesions that were occult with no classic choroidal neovascularization (CNV); of these, 70 were subfoveal, 19 were juxtafoveal, and 12 were extrafoveal. Thirty-five eyes (20.8%) had predominantly classic lesions; of these, 27 were subfoveal, 6 were juxtafoveal, and 2 were extrafoveal. Thirty-two eyes (19.0%) had minimally classic lesions, of which 31 were subfoveal and 1 was extrafoveal. In accordance with consensus guidelines from a panel of experts and with American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Preferred Practice Pattern guidelines, 33 lesions (17%) would be considered for treatment with verteporfin therapy. A further 37 subfoveal lesions with occult with no classic CNV and 7 juxtafoveal lesions with occult with no classic CNV might also benefit from verteporfin therapy if there is evidence of presumed recent disease progression. Five lesions (3.0%) could have been treated with laser photocoagulation according to Macular Photocoagulation Study criteria. Conclusions: These results suggest that verteporfin therapy substantially increases the number of patients with treatable neovascular AMD.