Abstract
Purpose :
To study change in area and morphology of subclinical choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and its correlation with progression in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).
Methods :
This study included a total of 34 patients with unilateral neovascular AMD who were prospectively evaluated using OCTA to detect subclinical CNV in the other eye. All patients were monitored for progression to exudative AMD. Patients with baseline subclinical CNV were followed with serial OCTA for a minimum of one year (15.2 ± 3.27 months).
Results :
Of the 34 eyes studied, five were found to have baseline subclinical CNV, of whom one eye progressed to exudative AMD requiring initiation of anti-VEGF therapy (20%). None of the remaining twenty-nine eyes without baseline subclinical CNV developed exudative AMD. The average surface area of baseline subclinical CNV was 0.131±0.096 mm2 and 0.136±0.104 mm2 at the final follow up OCTA (P = 0.539).
Conclusions :
Our incidence of conversion to exudative AMD in eyes with subclinical CNV of 20% is similar to previous reports and suggests the importance of vigilance in these eyes. We found multiple morphologic changes of subclinical CNV over time; however, there was no significant change in surface area, suggesting that other features may be more important at predicting exudative conversion of these lesions.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.