Abstract
Purpose :
Subretinal fluid (SRF) can be associated with choroidal nevus and can cause progressive change in morphology of the overlying photoreceptors. We hypothesized that photoreceptor morphology would change in a consistent pattern related to the chronicity of nevus-associated SRF.
Methods :
We performed a retrospective comparative analysis of choroidal nevus with associated SRF from July 6, 2009 to August 14, 2018 at a single ocular oncology center. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to assess nevus morphologic features, presence of SRF, initial photoreceptor morphology, change in photoreceptor morphology, and interval for change. Choroidal nevus that did not have follow-up or did not develop SRF at any point during follow-up were excluded.
Results :
There were 274 choroidal nevi in 274 patients that presented with or developed SRF. Of these, photoreceptor morphology at presentation was classified as normal (n=58, 21%), shaggy (swollen, elongated) (n=94, 34%), retracted (stalactite appearance) (n=113, 41%), or absent (n=9, 3%). There was a progression in photoreceptor morphology with increasing SRF chronicity (p<0.001). In nevus that initially presented with no SRF and normal photoreceptors but later developed SRF, photoreceptors became shaggy in 37 (64%), retracted in 18 (31%), or absent in 3 (5%) after 29, 30, and 33 months, respectively. In nevus presenting with shaggy photoreceptors, 51 (54%) progressed to retracted photoreceptors after a mean of 18 months; in nevus with retracted photoreceptors, 16 (14%) progressed to absent photoreceptors after a mean of 34 months; and in nevus with absent photoreceptors, this showed no change after a follow-up of 30 months.
Conclusions :
In eyes with choroidal nevus and SRF, there is a longitudinal evolution in photoreceptor morphology that initiates with shaggy appearance then retracted then absent with increasing SRF chronicity.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.