Surgical treatment of extensive peripapillary choroidal neovascularization in elderly patients

To report the visual outcomes and complications of surgical removal of extensive peripapillary choroidal neovascularization (PPCNV) in elderly patients.

Retrospective review.

Seventeen consecutive eyes of 17 patients older than age 55 undergoing PPCNV resection.

Retrospective review of eyes undergoing surgical removal of extensive PPCNV via pars plana vitrectomy.

Preoperative and postoperative Snellen visual acuity.

The mean age of patients was 76.9 years, and the mean duration of follow-up was 29.8 months. In 6 of 17 eyes, the PPCNV was extrafoveal; in two eyes, it was juxtafoveal; and in nine eyes, it was subfoveal. The cause of CNV was idiopathic (nine eyes), age-related macular degeneration (six eyes), presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (one eye), and inflammation (one eye). All eyes were ineligible for laser treatment by MPS criteria. In eyes with extrafoveal CNV, the preoperative Snellen visual acuity ranged from 20/25 to 20/300, and the final visual acuity ranged from 20/40 to 20/800. The two eyes with juxtafoveal CNV had preoperative visual acuities of 20/125 and 20/300, and both had a postoperative acuity of 20/200. Eyes with subfoveal CNV had a range of preoperative visual acuity from 20/125 to 20/800, whereas the final visual acuity ranged from 20/30 to hand motions. Four of the nine eyes with subfoveal lesions had improved visual acuity. Overall, the final visual acuity was stable or improved in six eyes and worsened in 11 eyes. CNV recurrence was noted in four eyes and required reexcision, laser photocoagulation, or both. Surgical complications included retinal detachment (two eyes), retinal hole and epiretinal membrane (one eye), cystoid macular edema (two eyes), and subsequent cataract extraction (four eyes).

Surgical removal of extensive PPCNV in the elderly does not often yield improvement or stabilization of visual acuity. However, 6 of 17 patients had stable or improved visual acuity.