Dimple in vascularized serous pigment epithelial detachment secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration

To describe the "dimple," a previously unreported structural optical coherence tomography (OCT) finding in vascularized serous pigment epithelial detachment (PED) secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Retrospective, longitudinal, case series study. Clinical charts and multimodal imaging including OCT (structural and angiography) and dye-based angiography (fluorescein and indocyanine green) examinations of patients with dimple-defined as a localized invagination of the vascularized serous PED-were analyzed in 2 high-volume referral centers.

Nineteen eyes of 18 patients were included. Mean follow-up was at 64.1 ± 35.8 months. The greater basal and height diameters of the vascularized serous PED were respectively 3425.8 ± 1049.6 μm and 667.1 ± 279.9 μm at baseline and 3076.2 ± 1649.9 μm (p = 0.8) and 368.3 ± 295.1 at last follow-up (p = 0.0006). OCT analysis identified 2 phenotypes of dimple: type 1 or ("top denting") (9 eyes) and type 2 (or "side denting") (10 eyes). Both phenotypes are associated with hyper-reflective holding sub-retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) band encompassing the posterior face of the RPE and extending to the Bruch's membrane. Hyper-reflective holding band is not correlated with angiographic signs of neovascular tissue in all cases. During follow-up, no case of RPE tear was observed.

We describe the characteristics of the dimple and its association with hyper-reflective holding sub-RPE bands in the context of large vascularized serous PED in neovascular AMD. The presence of a dimple does not seem to be an additional risk factor for the development of RPE tearing in high-risk PED secondary to neovascular AMD.