The surgical removal of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization. Ingrowth site as a predictor of visual outcome.
PURPOSE: The authors determine the significance of location of the ingrowth site of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) as a preoperative indicator of postsurgical visual acuity. DESIGN: A retrospective review is given of preoperative fluorescein angiograms and color fundus photographs for 84 eyes with subfoveal CNV due to the following etiologies: presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS) = 67 eyes; multifocal choroiditis = 9 eyes; not identifiable. If identifiable, the ingrowth site was further classified as extrafoveal, juxtafoveal, or subfoveal. Correlations between CNV ingrowth site location and postoperative visual acuity were made. RESULTS: The ingrowth site for subfoveal CNV was identifiable preoperatively in 60 eyes (71%). Of 31 eyes with an extrafoveal ingrowth site, 18 (60%) had a final visual acuity of 20/40 or better. Of 12 eyes with a juxtafoveal ingrowth site and 18 eyes with a subfoveal ingrowth site, only 2 (7%) had a final visual acuity of 20/40 or better. If the ingrowth site was not identifiable or identifiable and subfoveal in location (N = 42), 76% of eyes had a final visual acuity of 20/200 or worse. CONCLUSION: The ingrowth site of subfoveal CNV can be identified in the majority of eyes with POHS, multifocal choroiditis, or idiopathic membranes. A significant number of subfoveal CNV will have an extrafoveal ingrowth site. Eyes with an extrafoveal ingrowth site have a favorable visual prognosis after the surgical removal of the CNV. If the ingrowth site is subfoveal or not identifiable, the visual prognosis after surgery is guarded.