drusen /dro̅o̅″zən/ [Ger, Drüse, stony granule] , small yellowish hyaline deposits that develop beneath the retinal pigment epithelium, sometimes appearing as nodules within the optic nerve head. They tend to occur most frequently in persons older than 60 years of age and are commonly associated with age-related macular degeneration. However, the presence of drusen does not indicate the person has age-related macular degeneration. There are several types of drusen, requiring different levels of caution and risk.
