Myopic choroidal neovascularization: a 10-year follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the long-term visual outcome of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in eyes with high myopia in Asian patients.


METHODS
We reviewed the medical records of 25 consecutive patients (27 eyes) with myopic CNV who were followed up for at least 10 years after the onset of CNV. Visual acuity was examined 10 years after CNV onset.


METHODS
Demographic and clinical data were obtained from the patients' medical records.


METHODS
Visual acuity readings during the 10 years after CNV onset.


RESULTS
At the onset of CNV, 19 eyes (70.4%) had a visual acuity better than 20/200, and six eyes (22.2%) had a visual acuity better than 20/40. Three years after the onset of CNV, 15 eyes (55.5%) retained a visual acuity of better than 20/200. At 5 and 10 years after the onset, however, visual acuity dropped to 20/200 or less in 24 eyes (88.9%) and in 26 eyes (96.3%), respectively. The logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity was significantly worse at 5 and 10 years after onset as compared with that at CNV onset. Chorioretinal atrophy developed around the regressed CNV in 26 eyes (96.3%) at 5 and 10 years after the onset of CNV.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term visual outcome of myopic CNV is extremely poor. The visual acuity of almost all of the patients dropped to 20/200 or less within 5 to 10 years after the onset of CNV, secondary to the development of chorioretinal atrophy around the regressed CNV. These findings indicate that active treatments should be recommended to prevent long-term visual impairment in Asian patients with myopic CNV.
Yoshida
Takeshi
T
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan.
Ohno-Matsui
Kyoko
K
Yasuzumi
Kenjiro
K
Kojima
Ariko
A
Shimada
Noriaki
N
Futagami
Soh
S
Tokoro
Takashi
T
Mochizuki
Manabu
M
D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy; D002829:Choroid / Q000473:pathology; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*