Angiographic Findings of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Tear in Age-related Macular Degeneration

ABSTRACT

The retinal pigment epithelial tear(RPE tear)has been recognized as a complication of the retinal pigment epithelial detachment(PED)in the age-related macular degeneration(AMD)with or without choroidal neovascularization(CNV). CNV was known to play a role in the formation of the RPE tear. However, fluorescein angiographic(FAG) evidence of CNV was hardly observed. A 74-year-old AMD patient with a folded and retracted RPE and associated fibrovascular PED in a subfoveal area was studied with FAG and indocyanine green angiography(ICGA). The area of exposed choroid by the torn RPE showed intense hyperfluorescence on FAG and hypofluores-cence on ICGA. The area of folded and retracted flap of RPE disclosed marked hypofluorescence on FAG and hyperfluorescence on ICGA. ICGA demonstrated the presence of CNV in the RPE tear secondary to AMD.