Abstract
Purpose: :
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of laser photocoagulation for type 1 idiopathic macular telangiectagia (MacTel).
Methods: :
Retrospective case series of six eyes of six patients with type 1 MacTel as diagnosed consecutively in the Oita University Hospital during the period from 2004 to 2010. Four patients were male and two were female with an average age of 66 years (range: 41 to 74 years). Mean follow up period was 25 months (range: 8 - 43 months). All eyes showed macular edema at the first visit and laser photocoagulation was applied to leaky aneurysms. The decimal visual acuity was converted to a logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution. The central retinal thickness was measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Results: :
Mean visual acuity significantly increased from logMAR 0.25±0.27 at baseline to logMAR 0.17±0.20 (P<0.05) at the last visit. Visual acuity improved more than 0.2 logMAR in five eyes and was stable (gain or loss of < 0.3 logMAR) in one eye. Mean central retinal thickness significantly decreased from 387±176μm at baseline to 155±91μm (P<0.05) at the last visit. Macular edema detected by OCT was persistent in one eye at the last visit.
Conclusions: :
In type I MacTel, laser photocoagulation may achieve a visual improvement and normalize the central retinal thickness.
Keywords: macula/fovea • laser