Ultrastructural features of surgically excised idiopathic subfoveal neovascular membranes

The ultrastructural features of three surgically excised idiopathic subfoveal neovascular membranes were examined. Ultrastructural features of the cellular components in the membranes included retinal pigment epithelium, endothelial-lined vascular channels, photoreceptor cells, macrophages, myofibroblasts, glial cells, erythrocytes, and ghost erythrocytes. Extracellular constituents included 200-nm to 250-nm collagen fibrils, 100-nm collagen fibrils and fibrin. The findings in this study are consistent with previously reported findings of subfoveal neovascular membranes in age-related macular degeneration and the ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, with the exception of the presence of basal laminar deposit in membranes from age-related macular degeneration.