Optical Coherence Tomographic Features and Prognosis of Pneumatic Displacement for Submacular Hemorrhage

To identify prognostic factors, including optical coherence tomographic features, of visual outcome in exudative age-related macular degeneration with submacular hemorrhage treated with pneumatic displacement.

This retrospective interventional case series included 37 eyes with exudative age-related macular degeneration and submacular hemorrhage, all of which underwent pneumatic displacement. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured at diagnosis and at 3 and 6 months after treatment. In addition to demographic and funduscopic parameters, tomographic features such as reflectance of the submacular hemorrhage were analyzed with regard to BCVA at 6 months.

After pneumatic displacement and a subsequent treatment such as laser or anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy, the BCVA at 3 and 6 months improved significantly (P < 0.001, respectively). Higher baseline BCVA (P < 0.001), shorter symptom duration (P = 0.007), and younger age (P = 0.014) were significant positive prognostic factors on regression analysis. Among optical coherence tomography characteristics, reflectance of the submacular hemorrhage, the shortest radius of the submacular hemorrhage centered on the fovea, and defects in the ellipsoid zone, and external limiting membrane affected the BCVA at 6 months (P < 0.05).

A favorable visual outcome was demonstrated after initial pneumatic displacement and subsequent treatment for submacular hemorrhage. The submacular hemorrhages exhibiting lower reflectance on optical coherence tomography and a smaller shortest radius from the foveal center were found to be good candidates for pneumatic displacement.