title: Choroidal neovascularization in phakic eyes with anterior chamber intraocular lenses to correct high myopia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the appearance, incidence, and characteristics of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in patients with high myopia corrected by implantation of a phakic anterior chamber intraocular lens (PACL).
  
  
  METHODS
  University Miguel Hernández, Instituto Oftalmológico de Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  The CNV observed in 294 consecutive eyes (181 patients) implanted with a PACL for the correction of high myopia (-7.0 to -38.0 diopters) was studied. The mean follow-up was 50.6 months +/- 32.8 (SD) (range 6 to 120 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Choroidal neovascularization occurred in 5 eyes (1.70%); 3 eyes were in women, and 2 were in men. The interval between PACL implantation and CNV was 63.2 +/- 27.3 months (range 18 to 87 months). The CNV was subfoveal in 4 eyes and juxtafoveal in 1 case. The mean best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) after PACL implantation and before the appearance of CNV was 0.53 +/- 0.18 (range 0.4 [20/50] to 0.8 [20/25]); after CNV appeared, it was 0.26 +/- 0.18 (range 0.05 [20/400] to 0.5 [20/40]), a statistically significant difference (P =.001, paired Student t test). In 2 cases, the CNV was treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT); in the other 3 cases, PDT was rejected. The cumulative risk for CNV (Kaplan-Meier survival analysis) in highly myopic patients corrected by PACL implantation was 0.43% at 18 months and 5.4% at 87 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implantation of a PACL to correct high myopia was followed by a small incidence of CNV (cumulative risk of 5.4% at 87 months). The appearance of CNV was followed by a significant decrease in BSCVA.
authors.affiliation: Vitreo-Retinal Unit, Instituto Oftalmológico de Alicante, Alicante, Spain. jm.ruiz@umh.es
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Moreno
authors.forename: Concepción
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de la Vega
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Moreno
authors.forename: Jorge L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alió
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000601:surgery*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity