Drusen

Generality

Drusen are deposits of yellow or white protein-lipid material that form under the retina.

Figure: a drusen between retinal pigment epithelium and Bruch's membrane.

The exact location is between the retinal pigment epithelium (last layer of the retina) and the so-called Bruch's membrane (innermost portion of the choroid).
As a consequence of the aging process, drusen can be of two types: rigid or soft. Rigid drusen are usually asymptomatic, while soft drusen are generally associated with a morbid ocular condition, typical of advanced age, called macular degeneration. dry senile.
The drusen s "identify with a simple fundus examination.
The treatments depend on the type of drusen: for the rigid ones, no particular therapy is foreseen; for the soft ones, on the other hand, it is useful to adopt the treatment methods provided for dry age-related macular degeneration.