1. Progressive development of large choroidal excavation in neovascular age-related macular degeneration
- Author
-
Francesco Bandello, Maurizio Battaglia Parodi, Ahmad M. Mansour, Francesca Gorgoni, Alessandro Arrigo, and Chiara Viganò
- Subjects
Scleral ectasia ,medicine.medical_specialty ,genetic structures ,business.industry ,General Medicine ,Macular degeneration ,medicine.disease ,eye diseases ,Choroidal excavation ,Pathogenesis ,03 medical and health sciences ,Ophthalmology ,0302 clinical medicine ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Age related ,030221 ophthalmology & optometry ,medicine ,Posterior staphyloma ,sense organs ,Choroid ,Complication ,business ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Purpose: Focal choroidal excavation (CE) is an unusual concavity in the choroid without posterior staphyloma or scleral ectasia and with pathogenesis is still unknown. In this article we present a case of de novo progressive focal choroidal excavation associated with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: This study was designed as a descriptive case report based on clinical and imaging data collected during patient’s observation and follow-ups. Results: A 67-year-old man with systemic hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, with a previous diagnosis of bilateral AMD complicated by already treated macular neovascularization, underwent our attention to perform follow-up visits. Over the 5-year follow-up, the left eye remained stable, requiring no further treatments and disclosing a BCVA of 0.0 LogMAR. On the contrary, the right eye showed several exudation recurrences, requiring further anti-VEGF injections. Structural OCT detected the progressive development of a focal CE, which gradually enlarged converting into a large CE. Structural OCT examinations reported even growing defects of the Bruch’s membrane. Despite the evident progression of the CE, BCVA disclosed stable values over the 5-years follow-up (1.0 LogMAR), with a worsening of metamorphopsia. Conclusion: Large CE may be a complication of neovascular AMD. Bruch’s membrane abnormalities, including thickness and reflectivity changes, detectable on structural OCT, can be considered early biomarkers of potentially developing CE.
- Published
- 2020