Paola Avanza

Photocoagulation scar expansion after laser therapy for choroidal neovascularization in degenerative myopia.

The authors performed a prospective study of 36 eyes affected by pathologic myopia with macular subretinal neovascularization (SRNV) successfully treated with either argon green, dye orange (590 nm), or krypton red lasers. Re-treated eyes were excluded. Evolution of the laser scar was carefully monitored for 12 months. Scar expansion was noted in 35 cases (97%), without a significant loss of visual acuity during the first year after treatment. The scar enlarged more conspicuously during the first 3 months after photocoagulation, with a mean increase of 103% in the first year. Expansion was not related to laser wavelength, patient age, SRNV size, or degree of myopia. Scar enlargement was greatest in the same direction as that of maximal extension of the myopic peripapillary crescent; inspection of the morphologic configuration of the peripapillary crescent before laser treatment may be helpful in evaluating the potential risk of post-laser scar expansion toward the fovea.

LASER PHOTOCOAGULATION OF CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULARIZATION IN ANGIOID STREAKS

PURPOSE To determine if laser photocoagulation of macular choroidal neovascularization in angioid streaks may be effective in preventing severe loss of vision. METHODS Sixty-six consecutive eyes of 52 patients with extrafoveal, well-defined choroidal neovascularization secondary to angioid streaks who underwent direct laser photocoagulation were followed for 3-108 months (mean, 34.5 months; median, 20 months). RESULTS Pretreatment mean visual acuity was 20/40 (range, 20/200-20/20), postlaser outcome was a visual acuity of 20/50 at 3 months, 20/50 at 6 months, 20/80 at 1 year, 20/80 at 2 years, 20/100 at 3 years, 20/125 at 4 years, 20/125 at 5 years, 20/100 at 6 years, and 20/80 at 7 years. During the first year after treatment there was a significant decrease in visual acuity (P < 0.01), but no significant change thereafter. Choroidal neovascularization recurred one or more times in 77% of the eyes, but by the final examination choroidal neovascularization had been eliminated completely in 31 eyes (47%). Fellow eyes with naturally progressed choroidal neovascularization were considered control eyes. Final visual acuity in treated eyes was definitely better than that in untreated eyes (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS This is the largest series of eyes treated by laser photocoagulation for angioid streaks and choroidal neovascularization ever reported. Laser photocoagulation of choroidal neovascularization in angioid streaks may end the choroidal neovascularization and help stabilize visual acuity or slow down visual loss. Considering the very high frequency of recurrences (77% of the eyes studied), an intense clinical and fluorangiographic follow-up period is strongly recommended, mainly for the first 3 months after treatment.

Laser photocoagulation of choroidal neovascularization in pathologic myopia: long-term results

Direct laser photocoagulation of macular choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in pathologic myopia is still controversial. However, previous studies have reported encouraging results. One-hundred and thirty-three consecutively treated eyes were followed, in a prospective manner, for at least 12 months (108 of these were followed for 24 months, 84 for 36 months, 63 for 48 months, and 47 for 60 months) to evaluate the potential benefits and complications of laser treatment of extra-foveal macular CNV in pathologically myopic eyes. Pre-treatment mean visual acuity was 0.36. Post-treatment mean visual acuity was 0.33 at 1-year examination, 0.31 at 2 years, 0.32 at 3 years, 0.34 at 4 years, and 0.33 at 5 years. During the total follow-up period mean visual acuity did not change. Neovascular recurrences occurred in 58% of treated eyes by the end of the five-year follow-up. At final examination, complete destruction of CNV was achieved in 100 eyes (75%). These findings suggest that laser photocoagulation of macular choroidal neovascularization in pathologic myopia may be effective in preventing or limiting severe and irreversible loss of vision.

Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) in pathological myopia.

One hundred and fifty patients (300 eyes), mean age 49±15 years, with degenerative myopia underwent fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). Fluorescence of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) on ICGA was less evident than with fluorescein angiography (FA). FA revealed CNV in 98 eyes; ICGA showed CNV with different angiographic patterns in 82 eyes. ICGA permitted CNV diagnosis when retinal hemorrhages were present. ICGA allowed a more precise evaluation of lacquer cracks which appeared more numerous than the ones identified by FA. ICGA visualized the retrobulbar vasculature. This study shows that ICGA has a useful role for diagnosing and managing pathological myopia.

Dye laser photocoagulation of macular subretinal neovascularization in pathological myopia

The authors present a randomized study of 27 eyes affected by pathological myopia with macular subretinal neovascularization which were treated with a tunable dye laser. The effectiveness of three different wavelengths (577, 590 and 620 nm) in the direct treatment of subretinal neovascularizations was evaluated in 3 groups of 9 patients each.Statistical analysis of both visual and anatomical results did not show significant differences among the three wavelengths used.

Hyperfluorescent plaque lesions in the late phases of indocyanine green angiography : A possible contraindication to the laser treatment of Drusen

PURPOSE To highlight the possible role of indocyanine green angiography in predicting future exudative changes in eyes that are candidates for drusen laser treatment. METHODS In a 56-year-old woman, fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography were performed before drusen laser treatment. RESULTS The treated eye had a suspicious lesion at baseline indocyanine green angiography and a nonsuspicious fluoroangiographic pattern. Seven months after treatment, the patient developed choroidal neovascularization and pigment epithelial detachment in the treated eye. CONCLUSION To decrease the risk of macular exudative changes that may be related to laser treatment, eyes that are candidates for drusen laser treatment should be examined before treatment, not only by fluorescein angiography, but also by indocyanine green angiography.

Indocyanine green and fluorescein angiography of surgically excised macular choroidal neovascularizations: correlations with histopathologic and ultrastructural findings

Abstract• Background: Informations are expected from the histopathological study of surgically excised choroidal neovascular membranes (CNMs), particularly in relation to the angiographic aspects of vascular architecture.• Methods: Fluorescein and indocyanine green (ICG) angiograms were studied together with the histopathological features of 12 surgically excised subfoveal CNMs in eyes affected by age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).• Results: Instead of the early and delayed diffuse hyperfluorescence secondary to CNMs observed on fluorescein angiography (seven were well defined, five scar evolved), ICG revealed (a) very early hypofluorescence of the membrane bulk over the fluorescence of the outer choroidal vascular bed and (b) late hyperfluorescence gradually increasing and partially defining the border of membranes. CNMs with well-defined hyperfluorescent aspects were characterized by fibrovascular bulk lined on one side by retinal pigment epithelium. Fibrosis reaction predominated over the vascular components in scar-evolved membranes.• Conclusions: Fluorescein and ICG angiographic differences in the appearance of CNMs could depend on (a) the morphological structure and size of the CNM (b) its location within the chorioretinal layers and (c) different molecular characteristics of the dyes used.

Best's multiple vitelliform degeneration

Bests disease with multifocal lesions is rare. The authors describe four cases of multifocal vitelliform disease. The fluorescein angiographic features of macular and extramacular lesions are considered. Different stages of evolution may be present between central and extramacular lesions.

Indocyanine green angiography in the juvenile haemorrhagic choroidopathy

Juvenile haemorrhagic choroidopathy (JHC) is an idiopathic syndrome marked by macular choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in patients under the age of 50. We used fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) to examine 17 patients with macular CNV and JHC. CNV was always unilateral. On ICGA examination the CNV were weakly fluorescent in 59% of cases, hyperfluorescent in the remaining 41%.ICGA showed up the following alterations: a) areas with diffuse choroidal hyperfluorescence at the posterior pole or in the peripapillary region in 11 affected eyes (65%), in the fellow eye too in 5 patients; b) areas of choroidal hypofluorescence at the posterior pole but also outside the vascular arcades in 2 affected eyes (12%).In conclusion, ICGA does not appear indispensable for detecting CNV in JHC but this method does show up diffuse choroidal alterations not detectable with FA. The pathogenetic implications of the ICGA findings are discussed.

Indocyanine green angiography-guided laser photocoagulation of choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration

Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) is an important diagnostic tool in the management of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), enabling ophthalmologists to convert fluorescein-occult choroidal neovascularization (CNV) to ICGA well-defined CNV in 40–50% of cases1–3. About 30% of these can be treated with laser photocoagulation, which is the only proven therapy for exudative ARMD4,5. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ICGA-guided laser treatment in eyes with ICGA well-defined focal CNV.