Journal of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
Open Access
ISSN: 2155-9570
ISSN: 2155-9570
Brzheskiy Vladimir Vsevolodovich, Popov V Yu and Kalinina I V
Saint Petersburg State Medical Pediatric University, Russia
The Mariinsk Hospital, Russia
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Clin Exp Ophthalmol
Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative eye disorder that can lead to serious implications such as central blindness. Sub-RPE deposits are known to be the hallmark of the disease, however the cause of their formation remains an enigma. Recent studies have identified hydroxyapatite (HAP) spherules in these deposits and a proposed mechanism has suggested that these spherules could initiate the growth of sub-RPE deposits. This project investigated the size and distribution of these HAP spherules at the retina/choroid interface in the human eye. HAP spherules were identified using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to generate high-resolution images and they were analysed with ImageJ. Three specimens of human eye tissue were sampled in three different sections: the far periphery, mid-periphery and macula. Energy dispersive X-ray elemental analysis (EDX) was also used to confirm the calcium and phosphorus content of the spherules. HAP spherules were identified within and outside of sub-RPE deposits at the retina/choroid interface. 4680 spherules were analysed and upon measuring these spherules, it was found that their diameter ranged from 0.1 �¼m to 9 �¼m. Spherules were found in greater abundance in the mid-periphery compared to the macula and far-periphery. In addition, spherules were found to be smaller in the farperiphery. EDX confirmed that the spherules contain calcium and phosphorus. HAP spherules were present throughout the retina/choroid interface. The results strongly support the notion that HAP spherule size and distribution varies across the central-peripheral axis of the human eye.
Email: vvbrzh@yandex.ru