Drusen

Hyaline deposits (deposits that appear clear and glassy-like under the microscope) lying beneath the retinal pigment epithelium are referred to as drusen. They have a circular shape and are seen as greyish dots with the slit lamp. Based on their borders to the retina, drusen are classified in soft and hard drusen. Hard drusen occur in more than 90% of older people and are usually not related to any disease. By contrast, soft drusen are a cardinal sign of AMD.