Thermal Laser Monotherapy for Extrafoveal Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Science

Background:

• Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a choroidal vascular disease.
• Diagnosis relies on identifying polypoidal lesions via indocyanine green (ICG) angiography.
• Current therapeutic strategies for PCV are diverse.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of thermal laser treatment for extrafoveal polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) with associated macular edema.
• To assess the efficacy of thermal laser monotherapy in selected PCV cases.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 10 cases with extrafoveal PCV and macular edema.
• Diagnosis confirmed using indocyanine green (ICG) angiography.
• Treatment involved thermal laser application to occlude polyps.

Main Results:

• Successful polyp occlusion was achieved in all 10 treated eyes.
• Optical coherence tomography and fundus photography showed regression of foveal edema.
• Visual acuity improved significantly, from logMAR 0.8 to 0.3.
• Recurrence of exudative maculopathy occurred in two eyes after 5 and 7 years.

Conclusions:

• Thermal laser monotherapy can be an effective treatment for selected patients with extrafoveal PCV.
• Accurate differentiation of PCV subtypes using fluorescein and ICG angiography is crucial for treatment selection.
• Long-term follow-up is important due to potential recurrence.