Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the natural course of eyes with occult choroidal neovascularization (CNV) only (no classic CNV) in patients participating in a prospective trial. Materials/Methods: Recent review of 496 baseline fluorescein angiograms from patients participating in the Macular Photocoagulation Study Age-Related Macular Degeneration Study - Krypton Laser (Juxtafoveal Study) identified 61 eyes with occult CNV only. Twenty-six (43%) of these 61 eyes were assigned randomly to observation. Visual acuity and fluorescein angiography were performed prospectively following a standardized protocol 3 and 6 months after enrollment and at 6 month intervals thereafter. Results: Among the 22 eyes completing the 36-month follow-up examination, 5 (23%) had < 2 lines change in visual acuity from baseline while 13 (59%) had ≥ 6 lines decrease. Classic CNV developed in 6 (23%) of the 26 eyes by 3 months after study entry. An additional 6 eyes (23%) developed classic CNV by 12 months. One year after study entry, a ≥ 6 line decrease in visual acuity occurred in 58% of the eyes that developed classic CNV within this 12 month period compared to 18% of the 11 eyes in which classic CNV had not developed. Conclusion: In this select group of patients with occult CNV only, some eyes had fairly stable visual acuity over a 3 year period whereas the majority of eyes did develop severe visual loss, especially those eyes that developed classic CNV during the first year of follow-up.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | S20 |
| Journal | Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| State | Published - Feb 15 1996 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology
- Sensory Systems
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience