Purpose To evaluate the association of hyperreflective foci contiguous with the retinal pigment epithelium (rpeHRF) with visual function impairment in aged normals, early (e) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and intermediate (i) AMD. Design Prospective cohort study. Subjects Participants of the MACUSTAR study. Methods MACUSTAR participants underwent color fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), low luminance VA (LLVA), rod-mediated dark adaptation (RMDA) at 12°, contrast sensitivity (CS), mesopic, and scotopic pointwise sensitivity deviation (mesPSD, scPSD) testing. rpeHRF presence and count were determined using custom FiJi software. Group comparisons and associations with visual function were analyzed using ANOVA, linear regression, and Spearman correlation. Main outcome measures Presence, burden, topographic distribution of rpeHRF; association with functional parameters. Results Fifty-six normal aged (33 female (f), mean age 68.1 ± 6.4 years), 34 eAMD (27 f, 71.7 ± 6.4 years), and 583 iAMD eyes (387 f, 72.0 ± 7.0 years) were included. rpeHRF counts were 0.16 ± 0.85 in normals, 0.33 ± 0.96 in eAMD, and 1.61 ± 2.49 in iAMD (p < 0.001). BCVA, LLVA, CS (all p < 0.001), and scPSD (p = 0.001) differed between disease groups. Whereas RMDA and mesPSD did not. In iAMD, eyes with rpeHRF showed worse BCVA, LLVA, CS, scPSD (all p < 0.001), and mesPSD (p = 0.02). rpeHRF cound associated modestly with only CS, scPSD, LLVA, and BCVA. Conclusions Presence and burden of rpeHRF were independently associated with impaired visual function and may thus serve as a prognostic biomarker for disease progression and enrichment criterion for future interventional trials.
PURPOSE:To evaluate the association of hyperreflective foci contiguous with the retinal pigment epithelium (rpeHRF) with visual function impairment in aged normals, early age-related macular degeneration (eAMD), and intermediate AMD (iAMD). DESIGN:Prospective cohort study. SUBJECTS:Participants of the MACUSTAR study. METHODS:MACUSTAR participants underwent color fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), low-luminance VA (LLVA), rod-mediated dark adaptation (RMDA) at 12°, contrast sensitivity (CS), mesopic (mesPSD), and scotopic pointwise sensitivity deviation (scPSD) testing. rpeHRF presence and count were determined using custom FiJi software. Group comparisons and associations with visual function were analyzed using analysis of variance, linear regression, and Spearman correlation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Presence, burden, and topographic distribution of rpeHRF, as well as association with functional parameters, were determined. RESULTS:Fifty-six normal aged (33 female, mean age 68.1 ± 6.4 years), 34 eAMD (27 female, 71.7 ± 6.4 years), and 583 iAMD eyes (387 female, 72.0 ± 7.0 years) were included. rpeHRF counts were 0.16 ± 0.85 in normals, 0.33 ± 0.96 in eAMD, and 1.61 ± 2.49 in iAMD (P < .001). BCVA, LLVA, CS (all P < .001), and scPSD (P = .001) differed between disease groups, whereas RMDA and mesPSD did not. In iAMD, eyes with rpeHRF showed worse BCVA, LLVA, CS, scPSD (all P < .001), and mesPSD (P = .02). rpeHRF was found to be associated modestly with only CS, scPSD, LLVA, and BCVA. CONCLUSIONS:Presence and burden of rpeHRF were independently associated with impaired visual function and may thus serve as a prognostic biomarker for disease progression and enrichment criterion for future interventional trials.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex multifactorial disease, and the molecular mechanisms underpinning the progression of intermediate AMD to geographic atrophy are not fully understood. To better understand mechanisms driving progression, we performed bulk RNA sequencing on dissected macular and peripheral RPE/choroid and neural retina tissue from postmortem human eyes graded using the 9-step Minnesota Grading System (MGS). Binning of intermediate AMD cases into three distinct groups (AMD3L, AMD3M, AMD3H) based on the 5-year risk of progression enabled identification of distinct gene and pathway changes associated with progression to late-stage disease. Identified changes in gene expression were validated using ELISA or histological methods. RPE-specific genes and lipid metabolic pathways showed a transient increase in AMD3L followed by a pronounced decrease in AMD3H. In AMD3H, immune response genes such as C3 , TREM2 , and OLR1 were upregulated when compared to AMD3L samples, as well as genes specific to Müller glia/astrocytes (NGFR, SPP1, GPX3 ). Our findings support complement inhibition as a promising therapeutic option for slowing conversion to advanced AMD and identify macrophage and Müller/astrocyte genes as potential cell types to target in AMD. Further, we demonstrate the value of combining emerging, outcomes-based, clinically relevant grading systems with profiling technologies to generate new insights into ocular diseases. Highlights ### Competing Interest Statement The following authors were Novartis employees at the time of this research study and may hold stock in the company: Chia-Ling Huang (E), Yubin Qiu (E), John T. Demirs (E), Xiaoqiu Wu (E), Michael Twarog (E), Omar Delgado (E), Maura Crowley (E), Natasha Buchanan (E), Nhi Vo (E), Lin Fan (E), Yanqun Wang (E), Junzheng Yang (E), Thomas R. Vollmer (E), Garret Klokman (E), Sandra Jose (E), Jorge Aranda (E), Ganesh Prasanna (E), Stephen Poor (E), Cynthia Grosskreutz (E), Christopher W. Wilson (E), Magali Saint-Geniez (E), Sha-Mei Liao (E). Other relationships: Timothy Olsen (C). (E): Employment (C): Consultant/Contractor * AMD : age-related macular degeneration BrM : Bruch’s membrane CC : choriocapillaris GA : geographic atrophy GCL : ganglion cell layer INL : inner nuclear layer MGS : Minnesota grading system MGS4 : 4-step MGS MGS9 : 9-step MGS nAMD : neovascular AMD NES : Normalized Enrichment Score ONL : outer nuclear layer PR : photoreceptor RPE : retinal pigment epithelium
Objective:To examine the extent to which visual function in Beckman age-related macular degeneration (AMD) disease stages differs from age-similar peers with no AMD and, using reference limits derived from those with no AMD, test the hypothesis that people with intermediate AMD (iAMD) have heterogeneous visual function deficits. Design:Cross-sectional analyses of a range of baseline visual function measures from the MACUSTAR study-an international, multicenter (n = 20), noninterventional clinical trial. Participants:Five hundred eighty-five participants with iAMD (67% female, mean [standard deviation] age 72 [7] years) were recruited alongside 56 with no AMD (59% female, 68 [6]), 34 with early AMD (79% female, 72 [6]), and 43 with late AMD (49% female, 75 [6]). Methods:Participants performed best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), low luminance visual acuity (LLVA), Moorfields acuity test (MAT), Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity (PR-CS), small print standardized International reading speed test (SPS), mesopic and scotopic average threshold (MesAT and ScoAT; macular integrity assessment, iCare), and rod intercept time (RIT; AdaptDx, Lumithera). Main Outcome Measures:Relationship between each visual function measure and disease classification was examined by linear regression adjusted for age, sex, and phakic status. No AMD data were used to estimate normal reference limits for each visual function test. Intermediate AMD scores were dichotomized against reference limits, and the proportion worse than each limit was calculated. Results:Relative to no AMD, SPS was significantly worse in early AMD (P = 0.001); all measures except SPS were significantly reduced in iAMD (P < 0.02), and all measures were markedly reduced in late AMD (P < 0.0001). Thirty-one point three percent of iAMD participants breached reference limits for PR-CS, 29.4% for RIT, 24.1% for LLVA, 23.2% for MAT, 20.5% for BCVA, 19.8% for MesAT, 17.9% for ScoAT, and 12.6% for SPS. Of the iAMD participants, 69.6% and 42.7% breached ≥1 and ≥2 reference limits, respectively, whereas 33.6% and 5.7% would be expected by chance. Conclusions:A large proportion of people with structurally defined iAMD exhibit heterogeneous visual function deficits outside normal reference limits. This observation may be relevant for the design and inclusion criteria of future interventional trials. Financial Disclosures:Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.
Early stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can lead to a number of visual function deficits, but the patient relevance of these deficits is largely unknown. We therefore investigated how bilateral visual function domains affected by age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are associated with patient-reports. Using data from the cross-sectional part of the MACUSTAR study with 245 individuals with AMD (34 early AMD, 168 intermediate (i) AMD, 43 late AMD), the Vision Impairment in Low Luminance (VILL) questionnaire (subscales: reading, VILL_R; mobility, VILL_M; emotional well-being, VILL_E) and visual function assessments from both eyes (best-corrected and low-luminance visual acuity, BCVA, LLVA; Moorfields acuity, MA; contrast sensitivity, CS) were included. Associations between VILL and visual function data (better and worse eyes defined based on BCVA) were investigated using age- and sex-adjusted regression models. In the overall sample, VILL_R and VILL_M were associated with all functional tests across eyes (p ≤ 0.0389), while VILL_E was associated with MA and CS (p ≤ 0.0302). Regression estimates for BCVA, LLVA, MA and CS in the better-seeing eyes were -2.70, -1.84, -1.83 and 1.08 (VILL_R); -2.71, -1.87, -1.90 and 1.88 (VILL_M), and -0.25, -0.22, -2.15 and 1.57 (VILL_E). In iAMD, CS and MA in the worse-seeing eye were associated with two VILL subscales, respectively (VILL_R and VILL_M; VILL_M and VILL_E, respectively; p ≤ 0.0395), while BCVA and LLVA in the worse-seeing eye were both associated with one VILL subscale (VILL_M; p ≤ 0.0317). CS in the better eye was associated with VILL_M (p = 0.0454). Thus, patient-reported outcomes are associated with visual function assessments in both eyes in people with AMD. Contrast vision seems particularly patient-relevant in iAMD. Our results further support the construct validity of the VILL questionnaire.
Introduction: There is an unmet medical need for therapies in intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD). The prospective European multi-center cohort study MACUSTAR validates structural, functional and patient-reported iAMD endpoints for use in future trials. The multiplicity of assessments allows characterizing iAMD in more dimensions than previously available. We describe the heterogeneity of assessments in the iAMD baseline cohort of the MACUSTAR study. Methods: A wide range of assessments were administered across 20 European study sites in accordance with established guidelines. These assessments encompassed multiple structural evaluations, such as color fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence, and optical coherence tomography. Additionally, functional tests were conducted, including assessments of best-corrected and low-luminance visual acuity (VA), Moorfields acuity, contrast sensitivity, reading speed, mesopic and scotopic microperimetry, and dark adaptometry. Moreover, patient-reported outcome assessments, specifically the Vision Impairment in Low Luminance questionnaire, were also incorporated into the evaluation process. Associations between variables were investigated using Phi coefficients, Pearson correlation coefficients and age-corrected regression models. Results: Five-hundred eighty-five individuals with iAMD (66% women; mean (standard deviation) age: 72±7 years) were included in the MACUSTAR study. Forty-nine percent had pigmentary abnormalities, 27% had reticular pseudodrusen; 10% and 9% had incomplete and complete retinal pigment epithelium and outer retinal atrophy at baseline, respectively. Mean best-corrected VA, low-luminance VA and mesopic average threshold on microperimetry at baseline were 0.03±0.11 logMAR, 0.24±0.16 logMAR and 23.3±3.7 dB. Mean VILL subscale scores at baseline were 2±2 to 2±3 logits. Phi coefficients between structural assessments ranged between 0.17 and 0.22 (median 0.21); correlation coefficients between function tests ranged between 0.07 and 0.69 (median 0.34) and between VILL scores ranged between 0.21 and 0.68 (median 0.23). Conclusion: The findings from this broad and comprehensive spectrum of assessments of structure, function, and patient-reported outcomes in iAMD suggest that the disease spectrum is diverse and heterogeneous and that further efforts are necessary to fully understand and characterize iAMD in all its complexities. A further in-depth characterization will enable novel enrichment strategies for clinical trials in iAMD. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03349801. Registered on November 22, 2017
Complement biomarker analysis in ocular fluid samples from subjects with geographic atrophy (GA) in a Phase I/II clinical trial of subretinal AAV2 complement factor I ( CFI ; FI) gene therapy, PPY988 (formerly GT005), to understand target pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics. Clinical findings were subsequently utilized to investigate the therapeutic dose in an in vitro complement activation assay.Biomarker data were evaluated from 28 subjects in FOCUS, a Phase I/II clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of three ascending doses of PPY988.Vitreous humor (VH), and aqueous humor (AH) from subjects before surgery and at serial timepoints (week 5 or 12, 36, 96) were evaluated for changes in levels of intact complement factors I, B and H (FI, FB, FH) components C3, C4, and C1q and breakdown products (Ba, C3a, C3b/iC3b, C4b) using validated assays and OLINK ® proteomics.A modified in vitro assay of complement activation modelling VH complement concentrations was used to compare PPY988 potency to the approved intravitreal C3 inhibitor pegcetacoplan (Apellis) and complement Factor H (FH).An average 2-fold increase in VH FI was observed post-treatment at week 36 and week 96. This correlated with a marked post-treatment reduction in VH concentration of the FB breakdown product Ba and Ba:FB ratio, but minimal changes in C3a and C3b/iC3b levels. Variable concordance in complement biomarker levels in VH versus AH suggest AH is not a reliable proxy for VH for complement activation. During the experimental comparison of doses, a 2-fold increase of FI achieved in the vitreous had only a minor effect on the complement amplification loop in vitro , indicating limited impact [IC50: 1229nM]. Pegcetacoplan completely blocks C3a generation at concentrations much lower than the estimated trough level for monthly intravitreal injections [IC50: 2nM]. Supplementation with FH in the assay revealed similar potency to pegcetacoplan [IC50: 6nM].PPY988 subretinal gene therapy may not have provided sufficient FI protein to meaningfully modulate complement activation to slow GA growth. Reviewing VH biomarkers is important for understanding target expression, pathway engagement, and determining optimal dose, thereby informing future clinical development.
Background/aims To further validate the Vision Impairment in Low Luminance (VILL) questionnaire, which captures visual functioning and vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) under low luminance, low-contrast conditions relevant to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods The VILL was translated from German into English (UK), Danish, Dutch, French, Italian and Portuguese. Rasch analysis was used to assess psychometric characteristics of 716 participants (65% female, mean age 72±7 years, 82% intermediate AMD) from the baseline visit of the MACUSTAR study. In a subset of participants (n=301), test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficient of repeatability (CoR)) and construct validity were assessed. Results Four items were removed from the VILL with 37 items due to misfit. The resulting Vision Impairment in Low Luminance with 33 items (VILL-33) has three subscales with no disordered thresholds and no misfitting items. No differential item functioning and no multidimensionality were observed. Person reliability and person separation index were 0.91 and 3.27 for the Vision Impairment in Low Luminance Reading Subscale (VILL-R), 0.87 and 2.58 for the Vision Impairment in Low Luminance Mobility Subscale (VILL-M), and 0.78 and 1.90 for the Vision Impairment in Low Luminance Emotional Subscale (VILL-E). ICC and CoR were 0.92 and 1.9 for VILL-R, 0.93 and 1.8 for VILL-M and 0.82 and 5.0 for VILL-E. Reported VRQoL decreased with advanced AMD stage (p<0.0001) and was lower in the intermediate AMD group than in the no AMD group (p≤0.0053). Conclusion The VILL is a psychometrically sound patient-reported outcome instrument, and the results further support its reliability and validity across all AMD stages. We recommend the shortened version of the questionnaire with three subscales (VILL-33) for future use. Trial registration number NCT03349801.
Drusen are hallmarks of early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) but their quantification remains a challenge. We compared automated drusen volume measurements between different OCT devices. We included 380 eyes from 200 individuals with bilateral intermediate (iAMD, n = 126), early (eAMD, n = 25) or no AMD (n = 49) from the MACUSTAR study. We assessed OCT scans from Cirrus (200 × 200 macular cube, 6 × 6 mm; Zeiss Meditec, CA) and Spectralis (20° × 20°, 25 B-scans; 30° × 25°, 241 B-scans; Heidelberg Engineering, Germany) devices. Sensitivity and specificity for drusen detection and differences between modalities were assessed with intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) and mean difference in a 5 mm diameter fovea-centered circle. Specificity was > 90% in the three modalities. In eAMD, we observed highest sensitivity in the denser Spectralis scan (68.1). The two different Spectralis modalities showed a significantly higher agreement in quantifying drusen volume in iAMD (ICC 0.993 [0.991–0.994]) than the dense Spectralis with Cirrus scan (ICC 0.807 [0.757–0.847]). Formulae for drusen volume conversion in iAMD between the two devices are provided. Automated drusen volume measures are not interchangeable between devices and softwares and need to be interpreted with the used imaging devices and software in mind. Accounting for systematic difference between methods increases comparability and conversion formulae are provided. Less dense scans did not affect drusen volume measurements in iAMD but decreased sensitivity for medium drusen in eAMD. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03349801. Registered on 22 November 2017.
Purpose:The purpose of this study was to assess test-retest variability and discriminatory power of measures from macular integrity assessment (S-MAIA) and AdaptDx. Methods:This is a cross-sectional study of 167 people with intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD), no AMD (controls; n = 54), early AMD (n = 28), and late AMD (n = 41), recruited across 18 European ophthalmology centers. Repeat measures of mesopic and scotopic S-MAIA average (mean) threshold (MMAT decibels [dB] and SMAT [dB]) and rod intercept time (RIT [mins]) at 2 visits 14 (±7) days apart were recorded. Repeat measures were assessed by Bland-Altman analysis, intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) and variability ratios. Secondary analysis assessed the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) to determine the ability to distinguish people as having no AMD, early AMD, or iAMD. Results:Data were available for 128, 131, and 103 iAMD participants for the mesopic and scotopic S-MAIA and AdaptDx, respectively. MMAT and SMAT demonstrate similar test-retest variability in iAMD (95% confidence interval [CI] ICC of 0.79-0.89 and 0.78-0.89, respectively). ICCs were worse in RIT (95% CI ICC = 0.55-0.77). All tests had equivalent AUCs (approximately 70%) distinguishing between subjects with iAMD and controls, whereas early AMD was indistinguishable from iAMD on all measures (AUC = <55%). A learning effect was not seen in these assessments under the operating procedures used. Conclusions:MMAT, SMAT, and RIT have adequate test-retest variability and are all moderately good at separating people with iAMD from controls. Translational Relevance:Expected levels of test-retest variability and discriminatory power of the AdaptDx and MAIA devices in a clinical study setting must be considered when designing future trials for people with AMD.
EFEMP1 R345W is a dominant mutation causing Doyne honeycomb retinal dystrophy/malattia leventinese (DHRD/ML), a rare blinding disease with clinical pathology similar to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Aged Efemp1 R345W/R345W knock-in mice (Efemp1ki/ki) develop microscopic deposits on the basal side of retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE), an early feature in DHRD/ML and AMD. Here, we assessed the role of alternative complement pathway component factor B (FB) in the formation of these deposits. RNA-seq analysis of the posterior eyecups revealed increased unfolded protein response, decreased mitochondrial function in the neural retina (by 3 months of age) and increased inflammatory pathways in both neural retina and posterior eyecups (at 17 months of age) of Efemp1ki/ki mice compared with wild-type littermate controls. Proteomics analysis of eye lysates confirmed similar dysregulated pathways as detected by RNA-seq. Complement activation was increased in aged Efemp1ki/ki eyes with an approximately 2-fold elevation of complement breakdown products iC3b and Ba (P < 0.05). Deletion of the Cfb gene in female Efemp1ki/ki mice partially normalized the above dysregulated biological pathway changes and oral dosing of a small molecule FB inhibitor from 10 to 12 months of age reduced sub-RPE deposits by 65% (P = 0.029). In contrast, male Efemp1ki/ki mice had fewer sub-RPE deposits than age-matched females, no elevation of ocular complement activation and no effect of FB inhibition on sub-RPE deposits. The effects of FB deletion or inhibition on Efemp1ki/ki mice supports systemic inhibition of the alternative complement pathway as a potential treatment of dry AMD and DHRD/ML.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the most common causes of visual impairment in the elderly, with a complex and still poorly understood etiology. Whole-genome association studies have discovered 34 genomic regions associated with AMD. However, the genes and cognate proteins that mediate the risk, are largely unknown. In the current study, we integrate levels of 4782 human serum proteins with all genetic risk loci for AMD in a large population-based study of the elderly, revealing many proteins and pathways linked to the disease. Serum proteins are also found to reflect AMD severity independent of genetics and predict progression from early to advanced AMD after five years in this population. A two-sample Mendelian randomization study identifies several proteins that are causally related to the disease and are directionally consistent with the observational estimates. In this work, we present a robust and unique framework for elucidating the pathobiology of AMD.
PURPOSE:To report the prevalence and topographic distribution of structural characteristics in study participants with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and controls in the cross-sectional study part of the MACUSTAR study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03349801). DESIGN:European, multicenter cohort study. SUBJECTS:Overall, 301 eyes of 301 subjects with early (n = 34), intermediate (n = 168), and late AMD (n = 43), as well as eyes without any AMD features (n = 56). METHODS:In study eyes with intermediate AMD (iAMD), the presence of structural AMD biomarkers, including pigmentary abnormalities (PAs), pigment epithelium detachment (PED), refractile deposits, reticular pseudodrusen (RPD), hyperreflective foci (HRF), incomplete/complete retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), and outer retinal atrophy (i/cRORA), and quiescent choroidal neovascularization (qCNV) was systematically determined in the prospectively acquired multimodal retinal imaging cross-sectional data set of MACUSTAR. Retinal layer thicknesses and the RPE drusen complex (RPEDC) volume were determined for the total study cohort in spectral-domain (SD) OCT imaging using a deep-learning-based algorithm. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Prevalence and topographic distribution of structural iAMD features. RESULTS:A total of 301 study eyes of 301 subjects with a mean (± standard deviation) age of 71.2 ± 7.20 years (63.1% women) were included. Besides large drusen, the most prevalent structural feature in iAMD study eyes were PA (57.1%), followed by HRF (51.8%) and RPD (22.0%). Pigment epithelium detachment lesions were observed in 4.8%, vitelliform lesions in 4.2%, refractile deposits in 3.0%, and qCNV in 2.4%. Direct precursor lesions for manifest retinal atrophy were detected in 10.7% (iRORA) and 4.2% (cRORA) in iAMD eyes. Overall, the highest RPEDC volume with a median of 98.92 × 10-4 mm³ was found in iAMD study eyes. Spatial analysis demonstrated a predominant distribution of RPD in the superior and temporal subfields at a foveal eccentricity of 1.5 to 2 mm, whereas HRF and large drusen had a distinct topographic distribution involving the foveal center. CONCLUSIONS:Detailed knowledge of the prevalence and distribution of structural iAMD biomarkers is vital to identify reliable outcome measure for disease progression. Longitudinal analyses are needed to evaluate their prognostic value for conversion to advanced disease stages. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S):Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
•Machine learning models predict risk for adverse events and likelihood of dropout.•Machine learning models predict disease progression risk and response to treatment.•Predictive models can be of great use in all stages of clinical trials.•Training data sets have to be diverse to maximize generalizability.•It is key to ensure patient safety and ethical use of the models.
Importance There is a need for validated clinical end points that are reliably able to quantify potential therapeutic effects of future treatments targeting age-related macular degeneration (AMD) before the onset of serious visual impairment. Objective To assess the reliability and discriminatory power of 5 simple chart-based visual function (VF) tests as potential measures for clinical trial end points with regulatory and patient-access intention in intermediate AMD (iAMD). Design, Setting, and Participants This international noninterventional study took place at 18 tertiary ophthalmology departments across Europe. Participants were recruited between April 2018 and March 2020 and were identified during routine clinical review. Participants with no AMD and early AMD were recruited from hospital staff, friends, and family of participants with AMD and via referrals from community ophthalmologists and optometrists. The repeatability and discriminatory power of 5 simple chart-based assessments of VF (best-corrected visual acuity [BCVA], low-luminance visual acuity [LLVA], Moorfields Acuity Test [MAT], Pelli-Robson Contrast Sensitivity [CS], and International Reading Speed Test [IReST]) were assessed in a repeated-measures design. VF assessments were performed on day 0 and day 14. Participants with early AMD, iAMD, late AMD, and no AMD were recruited. Main Outcomes and Measures Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman 95% limits of agreement (LoA) were computed to assess repeatability. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) determined the discriminatory ability of all measures to classify individuals as having no AMD or iAMD and to differentiate iAMD from its neighboring disease states. Results A total of 301 participants (mean [SD] age, 71 [7] years; 187 female participants [62.1%]) were included in the study. Thirty-four participants (11.3%) had early AMD, 168 (55.8%) had iAMD, 43 (14.3%) had late AMD, and 56 (18.6%) had no AMD. ICCs for all VF measures ranged between 0.88 and 0.96 when all participants were considered, indicating good to excellent repeatability. All measures displayed excellent discrimination between iAMD and late AMD (AUC, 0.92-0.99). Early AMD was indistinguishable from iAMD on all measures (AUC, 0.54-0.64). CS afforded the best discrimination between no AMD and iAMD (AUC, 0.77). Under the same conditions, BCVA, LLVA, and MAT were fair discriminators (AUC, 0.69-0.71), and IReST had poor discrimination (AUC, 0.57-0.61). Conclusions and Relevance BCVA, LLVA, MAT, CS, and IReST had adequate repeatability in this multicenter, multiexaminer setting but limited power to discriminate between no AMD and iAMD. The prognostic power of these variables to predict conversion from iAMD to late AMD is being examined in the ongoing longitudinal part of the MACUSTAR study.