Basal Laminar Drusen
Basal laminar drusen is a condition in which yellow round deposits of lipid waste accumulate between the base of the retinal pigment epithelium and Bruch's membrane in the outer retina. These lesions appear in young adulthood as opposed to the drusen of age related macular degeneration which develop in late life. These lesions appear to be made of the same components as typical drusen in the elderly. Subretinal abnormal blood vessels can grow into this material and leak or bleed, just as in typical age related macular degeneration. Sometimes a vitelliform lesion develops in the macula that can be mistaken for subretinal neovascularization. Later in life geographic atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium can develop.