Purpose
To determine if increasing drusen height correlates with predictive optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers of atrophy.
Methods
Retrospective cross-sectional study that enrolled patients with drusen associated with intermediate AMD. Macular drusen were classified as small, intermediate, large, or very large based on OCT quartile measurement of height. Drusen diameter was also tabulated. The presence and localization of the OCT biomarkers of atrophy were assessed: disruption of the external limiting membrane and ellipsoid zone, intraretinal hyper-reflective foci, RPE disruption, choroidal hypertransmission, and presence of hyporeflective cores. Predictive OCT biomarkers of atrophy were correlated with drusen height.
Results
A total of 155 eyes from 104 patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The mean age was 75.7 ± 8.7 years, and patients were predominantly female (74.0%). The mean visual acuity was logMAR 0.2 ± 0.2 (Snellen equivalent 20/32). The average drusen height was 134.6 ± 107.5 µm and the greatest horizontal diameter was 970.7 ± 867.4 µm. Disruption of the external limiting membrane and ellipsoid zone, RPE thickening or thinning, intraretinal hyper-reflective foci, choroidal hypertransmission, and presence of hyporeflective cores (
P
< 0.05) were more common in eyes with large drusen and very large drusen versus small or intermediate drusen. All biomarkers were positively correlated with drusen height. OCT biomarkers of atrophy were predominantly located at the apex of the drusen.
Conclusions
Predictive OCT biomarkers of atrophy, specifically signs of RPE breakdown and disruption, occur more commonly in large or very large drusen, especially in drusen with greater height and separation of the RPE from the underlying choroid.
Introduction. When fundus examination is not possible, ultrasonography (US) is an accurate tool for the diagnosis of retinal tears (RT). The aim of this study was to describe the predominant location of RT, the factors influencing their location, and the vitreous status of eyes with RT using US. Methods. A prospective study was conducted in all patients diagnosed with RT by B-scan US (Aviso, Quantel Médical, Clermont-Ferrand, France). The primary endpoint was to assess RT preferential location using US. Secondary endpoints were the rate of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), number of eyes with multiple RT, and axial length (AL). Results. A total of 101 eyes of 100 patients with RT were included. RT main location was in the superior quadrants (either nasal superior, strictly superior, or temporal superior) in 71% of cases. All patients were diagnosed with PVD by US, and 79% had a vitreous hemorrhage. Twelve eyes (13%) were diagnosed with multiple RT. The mean AL was 24.62 ± 2 mm, and it was significantly longer in eyes without superior RT (25.52 mm versus 24.37 mm; p=0.004). Conclusion. In this study, we showed a superior location of RT diagnosed by US in more than two-thirds of cases associated with a significantly shorter AL than in other locations. This finding could increase US sensitivity for RT detection and help to improve the US learning curve of ophthalmologists in training and surgical decision-making when the retina is inaccessible due to opacity media.
Purpose: To describe two cases of severe peripapillary pachychoroid syndrome successfully managed with monthly intravitreal aflibercept therapy.Methods: Medical and imaging records were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were imaged with ultra-widefield fluorescein, indocyanine green angiography, and fundus autofluorescence. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography was performed to evaluate macular edema and choroidal thickness. Optical coherence tomography angiography excluded macular neovascularization.Results: This report summarizes two cases of peripapillary pachychoroid syndrome complicated by very severe bilateral macular edema. In all four eyes, the diffuse intraretinal and subretinal fluid remarkably improved or completely resolved after monthly intravitreal aflibercept injections with commensurate improvement of visual acuity. Multimodal imaging documented the significant improvement of fluid and the reduction in choroidal thickening in response to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy in each case.Conclusion: Severe cases of peripapillary pachychoroid syndrome associated with vision loss can be successfully treated with intravitreal aflibercept therapy.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.