Optical coherence tomography after photodynamic therapy for patients with pathologic myopia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Retinal Diseases

Background:

• Pathologic myopia can lead to subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV).
• Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment option for CNV.
• Early detection of treatment effects is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate early changes following PDT in patients with subfoveal CNV due to pathologic myopia.
• To utilize optical coherence tomography (OCT) for monitoring treatment response.
• To assess the temporal dynamics of fluid accumulation and retinal changes post-PDT.

Main Methods:

• PDT was administered to 10 eyes of 10 patients with subfoveal CNV secondary to pathologic myopia.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was employed to assess changes at 1, 3, and 7 days post-therapy.
• Measurements included intraretinal and subretinal fluid, CNV characteristics, retinal elevation, neurosensory retinal detachment height, and neurosensory retinal thickness.

Main Results:

• Retinal elevation, primarily due to subretinal fluid, peaked at 1 day post-PDT and decreased by day 7.
• Neurosensory retinal thickness increased minimally, indicating preserved foveal architecture.
• No significant changes in choroidal neovascularization (CNV) were observed during the follow-up period.

Conclusions:

• Acute fluid infiltration post-PDT in pathologic myopia occurs within the first day and resolves within the first week.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can visualize this acute phase, though to a limited extent compared to age-related macular degeneration.
• The findings highlight the dynamic early response to PDT in this patient cohort.