Photodynamic monotherapy or combination treatment with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide, bevacizumab or ranibizumab for choroidal neovascularization associated with pathological myopia.

This retrospective, interventional case series analyses treatment outcomes in eyes with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathological myopia, managed with photodynamic therapy, (PDT), (Group 1, N = 11), PDT and intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (4 mg/0.1ml) (Group 2, N = 3), PDT and intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) bevacizumab 1.25 mg/0.05 ml, ranibizumab 0.5 mg/0.05 ml and reduced-fluence PDT and intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg/0.05 ml (Group 3, N=12). All the patients underwent PDT. Intravitreal injections were repeated as required. SPSS 14 software was used to evaluate the data. Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to evaluate pre- and post-treatment vision. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used for comparison between the groups. All the groups were statistically comparable. All the eyes showed complete regression of CNV, with a minimum follow-up of six months. All groups had visual improvement; significantly in Group 3 (P = 0.003). Combination PDT with anti-VEGF agents appeared to be efficacious in eyes with myopic CNV. However, a larger study with a longer follow-up is required to validate these results.

Coats' disease: An Indian perspective.

Aim: To describe the clinical features, treatment and outcome patterns in 307 eyes with Coats' disease. Materials and Methods: Retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with Coats' disease between January 1996 and January 2006 from a single referral center in southern India. Results: Two hundred and eighty patients (307 eyes) with mean age of 15.67 years (range: Four months-80 years) were included. Decreased vision (77%), unilateral affection (90%) and male preponderance (83.4%) were chief presenting features. Anterior segment involvement was seen in 67 (21.8%) eyes. Retinal telangiectasia were seen in 302 (99%) eyes, exudation in 274 (89%) eyes and retinal detachment in 158 (51.5%) eyes. Four-quadrant disease was seen in 207 (67.2 %) eyes. Visual acuity was < 20/200 in 249 (80.9%) eyes. One hundred and nine of 176 treated eyes (61.93%) had favorable anatomical outcome; 207 of 280 eyes (74%) had an optimal structural outcome. Seventeen (5.3%) eyes were enucleated. Complications following treatment included phthisis bulbi (7%), neovascular glaucoma (5%), epiretinal membrane (4.4%) and rubeosis iridis (4.4%). Conclusion: Indian patients with Coats' disease have a high male predominance, the majority of whom present with severe visual impairment and extensive four-quadrant exudation. Unusual presentations such as pain, vitreous hemorrhage and a high incidence of anterior segment involvement are distinctive to Indian eyes.