To laser or not?

ABSTRACT

A 64-year-old male patient presented to the clinic with diminished vision in his right eye for the past 2 years. Examination revealed a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of counting fingers at 1 m with a scarred choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) in the right eye while the left eye had a BCVA of 20/20 with a small peripapillary subretinal hemorrhage along with angioid streaks in both eyes. Multimodal imaging revealed the presence of a CNVM in the left eye which was treated with focal thermal laser. Regression was noted on optical coherence tomography angiography at 1 month post-laser, but at 3-month follow-up, exacerbation of the CNVM was observed. Subsequently, four intravitreal ziv-aflibercept injections were given, and scarring of CNVM was noted on OCT. Thermal laser in the background of angioid streaks has worsened the breaks in the Bruch's membrane leading to worsening of the CNVM.