Abstract
Purpose:
To investigate the cleft which developed after detachment of choroidal neovascularization(CNV) from Bruch membrane due to contraction of fibrovascular membrane in age-related macular degeneration(AMD) using spectral domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT).
Methods:
Two hundred twenty eight eyes of 225 cases with AMD were studied. These eyes were treated with anti VEGF drugs or PDT combined with VEGF antagonists. The appearance ratio of the cleft and the conformational characteristics of the cleft using SD-OCT were reviewed.
Results:
Twenty three of 228 eyes(10%) had the cleft which developed after detachment of CNV from Bruch membrane.(11 of 80 eyes with occult CNV, 3 of 26 eyes with classic CNV, 4 of 109 eyes with PCV and 3 of 13 eyes with RAP.) In all cases with the cleft, CNV had fibrovascular changes in fundus examination and Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) above the cleft adhered to CNV tightly and continuously in SD-OCT. Five eyes had RPE tear during follow-up. The thickness of the cleft was an average of 63.0 ± 41 μm and the thickness of CNV with fibrosis above the cleft was an average of 408 ± 251 μm.
Conclusions:
CNV sometimes detached from Bruch membrane and developed the cleft between CNV and choroid. On the other hand, CNV adhered to RPE.
Keywords: 412 age-related macular degeneration •
550 imaging/image analysis: clinical •
688 retina