Ocular risk factors for recurrence of myopic choroidal neovascularization: Long-term follow up study

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate factors associated with long-term recurrence of myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) after treatment with photodynamic therapy (PDT) and/or intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor injections. METHODS: Seventy-six eyes with myopic CNV completed at least a 48-month follow-up after treatments. The baseline characteristics of the eyes were compared, including age, gender, refractive errors, axial lengths, location of CNV, lacquer cracks, chorioretinal atrophy, dark rim, great linear dimension, and prior PDT. RESULTS: During mean follow-up of 71.21 ± 26.43 months, 35 eyes (46.1%) experienced at least 1 recurrence. Mean interval between initial treatment and first recurrence was 24.15 ± 18.10 months. Presence of lacquer crack (P = 0.022, χ(2) test), absence of dark rim (P = 0.031, χ(2) test), and prior PDT (P = 0.041, χ(2) test) were significantly different between the eyes with and without recurrence. Among baseline characteristics, presence of lacquer crack (β = 1.272, P = 0.012) prior PDT (β = 1.607, P = 0.027), and absence of dark rim (β = -0.758, P = 0.020) were significantly associated with the recurrence of myopic CNV after treatment by multiple logistic regression. CONCLUSION: Long-term follow-up revealed recurrence of myopic CNV in 46.1% of the patients after treatment. Presence of lacquer cracks, prior PDT, and absence of dark rim were risk factors for recurrence of myopic CNV.