Search

BACKGROUND/AIMS To explore whether the existence and pattern of distribution of macular haemorrhage or exudate can be valuable diagnostic markers for macular neovascularization type 3 (MNV3) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. METHODS Eighty-three eyes of 83 consecutive treatment naive patients with stage 3 MNV3 were enrolled. The diagnosis was based on fluorescein angiography (FA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Subretinal and intraretinal haemorrhage and dense exudates were evaluated on colour fundus photography. Fluorescein angiography (FA) images and OCT scans were used to identify the axial location of the haemorrhage. 83 patients with MNV1 and 83 with MNV2 were included as two control groups. RESULTS In the MNV3 group, 62 (75%) eyes had intraretinal haemorrhage and 52 (63%) had dense exudates. 73 (88%) eyes had intraretinal haemorrhage and/or dense exudates. 41 (49%) had both pathologies. The intraretinal haemorrhage was flame shaped over the lesion and punctate or semi-punctate further away from it and directed to the fovea. No subretinal haemorrhage was noticed. In the MNV1 and MNV2 groups, 11 (13%) and 24 (29%) eyes had subretinal haemorrhage or dense exudates, respectively. No intraretinal haemorrhage was seen in the two control groups. The prevalence of exudates and haemorrhage (irrespective of its location) was greater in MNV3 than in MNV1 or 2 (p