title: A long-term follow-up of choroidal osteoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide long-term follow-up information on a large series of patients with choroidal osteoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of patients with a diagnosis of choroidal osteoma who had been examined at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Fla, or known to one of us (J.D.M.G.). Information was obtained from hospital medical records or by a questionnaire sent to referring ophthalmologists. Life-table analysis was used to study the loss of vision and development of choroidal neovascularization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We followed up 36 patients, 31 (89%) were female, mean age, 21 years (range, 5-54 years) for a mean of 10 years (range, 2-22 years). Growth was observed for 9 (41%) of 22 well-documented osteomas. The probability of loss of visual acuity to 20/200 or worse was 58% by 10 years and 62% by 20 years. The probability of developing choroidal neovascularization was 47% by 10 years and 56% by 20 years. Successful treatment of the choroidal neovascularization with laser photocoagulation was performed for 5 (25%) of 20 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients with choroidal osteomas maintain good vision in at least 1 eye, but they have a high risk of developing choroidal neovascularization. When this occurs, only a minority can be successfully treated with laser photocoagulation.
authors.affiliation: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Fla, USA.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Aylward
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Pautler
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Gass
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010016:Osteoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity