Etiology and treatment of choroidal neovascularization in pediatric patients

To assess the etiology, clinical features, and outcome of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in children.

We retrospectively assessed 10 eyes of 8 patients younger than 18 years diagnosed with CNV. The main clinical parameters included predisposing ocular pathologies, best-corrected visual acuity before and after treatment, characteristics of CNV, and treatment modalities.

Two boys and 6 girls with CNV and a mean age of 13.9 years (SD 1.9, range 11-16 years) were included. Two patients developed bilateral CNV within the follow-up time. The development of CNV was secondary to the following pathologies: choroidal osteoma (n = 3), pathologic myopia (n = 1), punctate inner choroidopathy (n = 1), hereditary macular dystrophy (n = 2), and angioid streaks (n = 1). Idiopathic CNV was diagnosed in 2 children without any obvious associated ocular pathology. In 9 eyes, CNV was treated by intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) administration (n = 6), photodynamic therapy (n = 1), or combination therapy (n = 3). One eye remained untreated because of advanced disease.

Pediatric CNV is a rare but sight-threatening retinal disease. So far, no standard treatment has been validated. Since the establishment of intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy, laser coagulation and photodynamic therapy have lost their significance as therapy for CNV.