The incidence of neovascolarization in the fellow eye of patients with unilateral choroidal neovascolarization: a survival analysis

Abstract

 

Purpose

 

To compare the survival of unaffected fellow eye between choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP).

 

Methods

 

A retrospective review of 239 consecutive patients enrolled in our Eye Clinic between February 2006 and November 2012, showing naïve unilateral forms of CNV (choroidal, n=202, retinal angiomatous proliferation, n=37). Mean follow-up time was 2,9 years (range 131-2214 days) for choroidal CNV and 2,6 years (range 519-1340 days) for RAP. Survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Logrank test was used to compare the two curves.

 

Results

 

Kaplan Meier analysis showed that the 50% of the fellows eyes with choroidal CNV survived healthy for about 4.4 years while eyes with RAP survived healthy for about 2.7 years. Logrank test showed a high significant difference between the two curves (p < 0.002).

 

Conclusions

 

This study found that the incidence of neovascularization in the unaffected fellow eye increase with time and the development of RAP is more premature than choroidal CNV, as studies previously reported.

 

 

Keywords: 453 choroid: neovascularization • 412 age-related macular degeneration • 463 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence