Marked deterioration in visual acuity was noted in patients discontinuing treatment, regardless of neovascular age-related macular degeneration subtypes. The presence of intraretinal fluid was associated with worse visual prognosis, suggesting that patients with intraretinal fluid should be strongly warned about their poor prognosis before they decide to discontinue treatment.
Purpose To investigate the incidence and timing of prechoroidal cleft development and its association with visual prognosis in type 3 neovascularization. Methods This retrospective study included 166 eyes that were diagnosed with type 3 neovascularization. All eyes were treated with antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy. The incidence and timing of prechoroidal cleft development were evaluated. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at diagnosis and at final follow-up was compared between eyes with (cleft group) and without (no-cleft group) prechoroidal cleft. The incidence of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tear and subretinal hemorrhage was also compared between the two groups. Results During the mean 39.7 ± 18.5 months of follow-up, prechoroidal cleft developed in 37 eyes (22.3%) at an average of 14.6 ± 10.4 months. The BCVA at final follow-up was significantly worse in the cleft group than in the no-cleft group (P=0.024), whereas the difference was not significant at diagnosis (P=0.969). The incidence of RPE tear (P=0.002) and subretinal hemorrhage (P < 0.001) was significantly higher in the cleft group. Conclusions Prechoroidal cleft is a frequently observed finding during the treatment course of type 3 neovascularization. Eyes with prechoroidal cleft are at high risk of RPE tear or subretinal hemorrhage and subsequently associated with poor prognosis.
Cataract surgery was beneficial in patients previously treated with anti-VEGF for exudative AMD. Our data suggests that cataract surgery should be performed after a sufficiently long exudation-free period to minimize exudation recurrence. But larger prospective studies are required to draw definitive clinical guidelines.
ABSTRACT.Purpose: To evaluate the incidence of fellow-eye neovascularization in retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) in a Korean population and associated risk factors. Method: This retrospective, observational study included 81 eyes (81 patients) diagnosed with unilateral RAP who were followed up for ≥12 months. The RAP diagnosis was based on an indocyanine green angiography reviewed by two retinal specialists. In fellow eyes experiencing neovascularization, the period between RAP diagnosis and neovascularization was compared between eyes with and without reticular pseudodrusen. Results: The mean age (AEstandard deviation) of the 81 patients was 74.7 AE 6.1 years. The mean follow-up period was 27.8 AE 12.4 months. Fellow-eye neovascularization was noted in 31 patients (38.3%), and 24 of these (77.4%) was a RAP subtype. Fellow-eye involvement was noted within 12 months in 13 eyes (16.0%). The period between diagnosis and fellow-eye neovascularization was significantly shorter in eyes with reticular pseudodrusen (mean 13.8 AE 8.5 months) than in eyes without reticular pseudodrusen (mean 21.2 AE 9.1 months; p = 0.031). Conclusion: In our cohort of unilateral RAP patients, fellow-eye neovascularization was noted in 38.3% in 27.8 months. The presence of reticular pseudodrusen in the fellow eye was closely associated with relatively early onset.
The visual outcome was worse in Stage 3 than in Stage 2, and adverse events that may lead to abrupt visual deterioration developed only in Stage 3. Further studies are needed to reveal whether anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy can suppress the progression of the disease stages.
The 12-month treatment outcome of intravitreal ranibizumab was similar to that of intravitreal aflibercept, with a comparable injection frequency. Further prospective studies with a more controlled design are needed to confirm our findings.
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