Early detection of choroidal neovascularization in age related macular degeneration

Abstract

<p><strong>Purpose</strong>: to identify factors associated with early detection of choroidal neovascularization CNV in clinical practice.<br /><strong>Methods</strong>: Seventy six AMD patients who had history of CNV in one eye and presented with CNV in the second eye and evaluated for association with visual acuity (VA) at time of presentation. Demographics, clinical data and lesion characteristics were retrospectively collected.<br /><strong>Results</strong>: Better VA was associated with history of CNV in the fellow eye (p&lt;0.0001), adherence to follow-up every four-months (p=0.015), younger age (p=0.03), smaller lesion (p&lt;0.0001), and non-subfoveal localization (p=0.048). VA of the fellow eye did not correlate with VA at presentation with CNV.<br /><strong>Conclusion</strong>: these data suggest that experience of CNV, regardless of VA, facilitates early diagnosis in the fellow eye. Adherence to follow-up in the routine clinic setting also facilitates early detection of CNV.</p