Subretinal fibrosis after photodynamic therapy in subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation in highly myopic eyes.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the occurrence of subretinal fibrosis (SRF) after photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin in highly myopic eyes with subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation (CNV).


METHODS
PDT with verteporfin was performed on 33 eyes of 32 highly myopic patients with subfoveal CNV. Patients were followed for 14-24 months and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and angiographic and funduscopic findings were recorded.


RESULTS
Two patients (two eyes) were lost to follow up. SRF appeared in 14 of 31 eyes. SRF appeared more frequently in eyes with a spherical equivalent (SE) of less than -10 D, in patients of age equal to or less than 55 years, and when CNVs were larger than 1500 micro m in diameter. SRF appeared more frequently in the group of patients with worse final BCVA.


CONCLUSIONS
The appearance of SRF after treatment is correlated with size of the CNV and SE. The results of this study indicate that highly myopic eyes with CNV treated with PDT do not show a decrease in BCVA, even though they develop SRF. The appearance of SRF after PDT in highly myopic CNV does not always imply a loss of BCVA from baseline, though its presence is more frequent in eyes with lower BCVA.
Ruiz-Moreno
J M
JM
Instituto Oftalmológico de Alicante, Vitreo-Retinal Unit, Alicante, Spain. jm.ruiz@umh.es
Montero
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D000077362:Verteporfin; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin