Neovascular membranes associated with idiopathic juxtafoveolar telangiectasis

To report the visual outcome in patients with a neovascular membrane (NVM) associated with idiopathic juxtafoveolar telangiectasis (IJFT).

We performed a retrospective, noncomparative analysis of 26 eyes of 16 patients with an NVM associated with bilateral IJFT (Gass classification group 2A). Eyes were divided into 2 groups: group WO (n = 11) included eyes with IJFT without evidence of an NVM on initial examination; eyes in group W (n = 15) had an NVM at the initial diagnosis of IJFT. In group WO, the initial visual acuity and the time between the initial examination to the diagnosis of an NVM were evaluated. Characteristic fundus findings, including the presence or absence of a chorioretinal anastomosis, intraretinal pigmentary plaques, and crystalline deposits, as well as the final visual acuity were reviewed for both groups.

The initial visual acuity for eyes in group WO ranged from 20/20 to 20/70 (median, 20/30); in group W, from 20/20 to 4/200 (median, 20/70). The average time from initial diagnosis of IJFT to the development of an NVM was 73 months (range, 5-142 months). In group WO, chorioretinal anastomosis and concurrent perivascular retinal pigment epithelial hyperplasia were observed before the development of an NVM. The final visual acuity for all eyes ranged from 20/40 to 2/200 (median, 20/200). Eighty-one percent of eyes (21/26) had a final visual acuity of 20/200 or worse.

The stable final visual acuity in patients with an NVM associated with IJFT is generally poor, with 80% of eyes in this series having a final visual acuity of l20/200 or worse. In patients with IJFT, the presence of a chorioretinal anastomosis and retinal pigment epithelial hyperplastic plaques always preceded the development of an NVM.