One-year outcomes and safety assessment of faricimab in treatment-naïve patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration in Japan.

This multicentre retrospective study evaluated the 1-year outcomes and safety profile of faricimab in treatment-naïve patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Fifty-five patients (57 eyes) underwent loading therapy comprising three monthly faricimab injections. If dryness was achieved by the third month, subsequent treat-and-extend (TAE) follow-up continued at a minimum 8-week interval thereafter. If wet macula persisted at the third month, a fourth dose was administered, followed by the TAE regimen. After 1 year, improvements in visual acuity (0.44 ± 0.46 [baseline] to 0.34 ± 0.48; p < 0.01) and central foveal thickness (326 ± 149 [baseline] to 195 ± 82 µm; p < 0.0001) were significant. Dry macula, characterised by the absence of intraretinal or subretinal fluid, was achieved in 65% of cases. Treatment intervals varied, ranging from 8 to 16 weeks, with 44% of eyes extending to a 16-week interval, followed by 33% at 8 weeks, 16% at 12 weeks, 5% at 14 weeks, and 2% at 10 weeks. Notably, 50% of the polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy patients exhibited complete regression of polypoidal lesions between 12 and 15 months. Faricimab treatment in nAMD patients induced significant improvements in central vision and retinal morphology. Two cases of retinal pigment epithelial tears and one case of iritis were reported as ocular complications.

Comparisons of choroidal thickness and volume in eyes with central serous chorioretinopathy to that of control eyes determined by ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE: To compare choroidal thickness and volume in eyes with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and healthy control eyes over a wide area of the fundus using ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography (UWF-OCT). METHODS: Thirty-three eyes of 29 patients with CSC and 36 eyes of 21 healthy controls were examined retrospectively. Choroidal images were obtained with a prototype UWF-OCT device with a field of view of 105° or approximately 31.5-mm wide by 10.9-mm deep. Choroidal thickness and volume were measured in the images of 12 radial scans (every 15°) from the horizontal scan. The "new index" of the extent of focal choroidal protrusion was defined as the maximum steepness of choroidal thickness (MSCT). RESULTS: Choroidal volume in CSC eyes was significantly larger than in control eyes within the central 50° (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in choroidal volume in the peripheral 50 to 105° (P = 0.071). The MSCTs were significantly steeper in CSC eyes than in control eyes at scan lines 1, 6, 7, 8, and 10 (P < 0.01, P < 0.001, P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The choroid in CSC eyes was thickened only at the posterior pole, and its protrusion was significant mainly in the vertical direction. Focal choroidal thickening at the posterior pole, which we speculate includes congenital scleral changes, may affect the pathophysiology of CSC.

Misalignment of center of foveal avascular zone and center of photoreceptors in eyes with history of retinopathy of prematurity.

To determine the relationship between the center of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and the center of the foveal photoreceptors in eyes with a history of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). To accomplish this, we reviewed the medical records of patients with ROP who were examined at the ROP Clinic of the Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital. We studied 43 eyes of 23 children with ROP and 67 eyes of 36 control children without any fundus abnormalities. The optical coherence tomography angiographic (OCTA) en face images were used to measure the size and location of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ), and cross-sectional OCT images to measure the central retinal thickness (CRT). Our results showed that the size of the FAZ was significantly smaller in the ROP group (0.200 ± 0.142 mm2) than in the control group (0.319 ± 0.085 mm2; P < 0.01). The CRT was significantly thicker in the ROP group (228 ± 30 µm) than in the control group (189 ± 13 µm; P < 0.01). The mean length of the foveal bulge was not significantly different between the two groups. The actual distance of the misalignment between the center of the FAZ and the center of the photoreceptors was significantly greater in the ROP group (50.4 ± 29.5 µm) than in the control group (39.6 ± 21.9 µm; P = 0.001). The correlations between the actual distance of misalignment and the size of the FAZ, CRT, and length of the foveal bulge in both groups were not significant. Despite the significant misalignment in eyes with a history of ROP, the center of the foveal photoreceptors was consistently located within the narrow FAZ which indicates that the development of the FAZ and photoreceptor formation are interrelated.

Six-month outcomes of switching from aflibercept to faricimab in refractory cases of neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: To assess 6-month outcomes of switching from aflibercept to faricimab in eyes with refractory neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) previously requiring monthly injections. METHODS: This multicenter retrospective study examined nAMD eyes receiving monthly aflibercept injections switched to faricimab administered monthly up to 4 injections followed by injections at a minimum of 2-month intervals as per drug labeling. Data regarding age, sex, number of previous injections, treatment intervals, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were collected. Central retinal thickness (CRT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), and maximal pigment epithelial detachment (PED) height were measured by optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: The study included 130 eyes of 124 patients. At 6 months, 53 eyes (40.8%) continued on faricimab treatment (Group 1), while 77 eyes (59.2%) discontinued faricimab for various reasons (Group 2) the most common being worse exudation. There were no significant differences between the two groups at baseline. In Group 1, CRT and SFCT significantly decreased at 1 month (P = 0.013 and 0.008), although statistical significance was lost at 6 months (P = 0.689 and 0.052). BCVA and maximal PED height showed no significant changes; however, mean treatment intervals were extended from 4.4 ± 0.5 weeks at baseline to 8.7 ± 1.7 weeks at 6 months (P < 0.001) in Group 1. No clear predictors of response were identified. CONCLUSION: Switching from aflibercept to faricimab allowed for extension of treatment intervals from monthly to bimonthly in roughly 40% of eyes, suggesting that faricimab may be considered in refractory nAMD cases.

INCIDENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF INTRAOCULAR INFLAMMATION AFTER BROLUCIZUMAB TREATMENT IN JAPAN: A Multicenter Age-Related Macular Degeneration Study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence of intraocular inflammation (IOI) and its risk factors following intravitreal injections of brolucizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration in Japan. METHODS: A total of 1,351 Japanese consecutive patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration who were treated with brolucizumab from May 2020 to May 2022 at 14 institutions were examined. The variables analyzed were the number of brolucizumab injections, time to onset of IOI, and risk factors. RESULTS: Intraocular inflammation developed in 152 eyes (11.3%). Retinal vasculitis and/or retinal occlusion occurred in 53 eyes (3.9%). Ninety-four patients received bilaterally, bilateral IOI occurred in five patients (5.3%). Sixteen eyes (1.2%) had irreversible visual acuity loss and nine eyes (0.67%) had visual loss of three lines or more due to retinal vasculitis and/or retinal occlusion. The cumulative IOI incidence was 4.5%, 10.3%, and 12.2% at 30, 180, and 365 days (1-year), respectively. History of IOI (including retinal vasculitis) and/or retinal occlusion (odds ratio [OR], 5.41; P = 0.0075) and female sex (OR, 1.99; P = 0.0004) were significantly associated with IOI onset. CONCLUSION: The 1-year cumulative incidence of IOI in Japanese neovascular age-related macular degeneration patients treated with brolucizumab was 12.2%. History of IOI (including retinal vasculitis) and/or retinal occlusion and female sex were significant risk factors.

Three-month outcomes of faricimab loading therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration in Japan.

This multicenter study aimed to assess the short-term effectiveness and safety of faricimab in treatment-naïve patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) in Japan. We retrospectively reviewed 63 eyes of 61 patients with wAMD, including types 1, 2, and 3 macular neovascularization as well as polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Patients received three consecutive monthly intravitreal injections of faricimab as loading therapy. Over these 3 months, visual acuity improved gradually compared to baseline. Moreover, the central foveal thickness decreased significantly at 1, 2, and 3 months compared to baseline (p < 0.0001). At 3 months after initiation of faricimab therapy, a dry macula (defined as absence of intraretinal or subretinal fluid) was achieved in 82% of the eyes. Complete regression of polypoidal lesions was observed in 52% of eyes with PCV. Subfoveal choroidal thickness also decreased significantly at 1, 2, and 3 months compared to baseline (p < 0.0001). Although retinal pigment epithelium tears developed in two eyes, there were no other ocular or systemic complications observed during the 3 months of loading therapy. In conclusion, loading therapy using faricimab resulted in improved visual acuity and retinal morphology in Japanese patients with wAMD without particular safety issues.

Pachychoroid neovasculopathy has clinical properties that differ from conventional neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

To determine the clinical properties of pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV) that differ from conventional neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and suggest that they are different clinical entities. To accomplish this, we reviewed the medical records of 100 consecutive patients diagnosed with nAMD. All of the patients were Japanese, and their mean age was 75.5 years. There were 72 men and 28 women. For the bilateral cases, only the right eye was analyzed. An eye was diagnosed with PNV when a macular neovascularization (MNV) was detected just above the dilated choroidal vessels. The Indocyanine green angiographic (ICGA) and en face optical coherence tomographic (OCT) images were used to assess the vertical symmetry of the medium and large choroidal vessels. The subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) was also measured manually in the OCT images. After reclassification, there were 29 (29%) patients with typical nAMD (25 with type 1 MNV, 4 with type 2 MNV), 43 (43%) with PNV, 21 (21%) with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, and 7 (7%) with retinal angiomatous proliferation. Of the 43 PNV, 17 (39.5%) had polypoidal lesions and 26 (60.5%) had no polypoidal lesions. The percentage of eyes with vertical asymmetry of the medium and large choroidal vessels was significantly greater in the 35 PNV (81.4%) than in the 16 non-PNV (28.1%; P < 0.01) cases. The mean SCT was significantly thicker in the PNV eyes than in the non-PNV eyes (298 ± 96 µm vs. 228 ± 82 µm; P < 0.01). The response of PNV to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatments was better than that of non-PNV eyes [higher dry macula rate after the loading period (90.9% vs. 59.1%), fewer total number of injections (11.0 ± 2.9 vs. 13.4 ± 3.2), and longer treatment intervals for the anti-VEGF therapy (8.4 ± 3.1 vs. 13.4 ± 3.2 weeks) at 2 years (all P < 0.01)]. These differences in the morphology and response to anti-VEGF treatments suggest that PNV is a separate clinical entity to conventional nAMD.

Blood flow pattern in eye before development of type 3 macular neovascularization.

PURPOSE: To determine the blood flow pattern of eyes before the development of type 3 macular neovascularization (MNV) by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SUBJECTS: Ten eyes of 10 patients (4 men and 6 women, mean age 80.4 years) diagnosed with unilateral Type 3 MNV who developed type 3 MNV in the fellow normal eye during the follow-up period were studied. METHODS: The time of onset of type 3 MNV was defined as the time when retinal exudation was detected by OCT. The blood flow of a 3 x 3 mm or 6 x 6 mm area in the deep capillary plexus (DCP) and the outer retina (OR) including the central fovea were assessed at the onset and at 6 months prior to the onset of the type 3 MNV. RESULTS: All MNVs that developed in the fellow eye were type 3 MNVs. Abnormal blood flow signals in the MNVs were detected in the DCP and/or the OR by OCTA at the onset in all cases. Eight of the 10 eyes had OCTA recordings prior to the development of the MNV: 3 eyes had non-exudative MNVs only in the DCP and 5 eyes had non-exudative MNVs in the DCP and OR. The exudation appeared on the average 3.5 months after the non-exudative MNV was observed in the fellow eyes. CONCLUSIONS: A non-exudative MNV in the fellow eyes can already be observed by OCTA in eyes before the onset of the exudation. Knowing this will help clinicians not only how to treat these eyes appropriately but will also help in determining the origin of the MNV.

Characteristics of Eyes With Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Requiring Frequent Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Injections.

Objective In this study, we aimed to determine the characteristics of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients requiring frequent anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. Methods This was a retrospective observational study involving the review of 32 eyes of 31 patients (25 men and six women, mean age: 74.3 years) treated with anti-VEGF injections for less than eight weeks and at least one year of follow-up. The subtype of macular neovascularization (MNV), follow-up duration, number of injections, visual acuity, and exudative changes during the study period were evaluated. Results Twenty-nine eyes (90.6%) had MNV under the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), including 11 eyes with type 1 MNV and 18 eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Only three eyes had type 2 MNV (9.4%) above the RPE. The mean follow-up period was 28.7 ± 16.5 months, and the mean number of injections was 21.5 ± 11.8. The mean visual acuity [logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) units] was 0.19 ± 0.23 at the initial visit to our hospital, which decreased non-significantly to 0.24 ± 0.4 at the final visit (p=0.63). The exudation in four eyes (two with type 1 MNV and two with PCV) never resolved. The exudation remained in 27 eyes (84%) even after every four weeks of treatment, and it was present in five eyes (16%) in the treatment interval of eight weeks. Conclusions In the eyes receiving frequent anti-VEGF injections, the sub-RPE MNV might have affected the response to the treatment. Although patients requiring frequent anti-VEGF therapy did not have a significant decrease in their visual acuity, 84% of the eyes had exudations even with monthly injections.

A CONSENSUS ON RISK MITIGATION FOR BROLUCIZUMAB IN NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION: Patient Selection, Evaluation, and Treatment.

PURPOSE: Brolucizumab has high efficacy in retinal fluid resolution and provides the possibility for longer dosing intervals in the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. However, brolucizumab has been associated with events of retinal vasculitis and retinal vascular occlusion typically in the presence of other signs of intraocular inflammation (IOI). The purpose of this report is to provide guidance on the use of brolucizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration to a global audience. METHODS: A literature review was conducted on adverse events related to IOI after administration of brolucizumab in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. RESULTS: Possible risk factors for IOI and retinal vascular occlusion after brolucizumab should be considered before administering brolucizumab. Patients who receive brolucizumab should be educated on the symptoms, signs, and time course of IOI after brolucizumab. Before each injection of brolucizumab, physicians should assess the eye for any signs of inflammation and not treat with brolucizumab if inflammation is detected. Treatment of IOI should be prompt and provided with particular attention to the posterior segment. CONCLUSION: Careful patient selection, patient education, assessment for inflammation, and intensive treatment of possible inflammation are important when using brolucizumab in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Short-term results for brolucizumab in treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a Japanese multicenter study.

PURPOSE: To investigate short-term treatment outcomes of intravitreal brolucizumab (IVBr) for treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a Japanese multicenter study. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case control study METHODS: The subjects were 58 eyes of 57 patients with neovascular AMD (43 men and 14 women, mean age 74.6 years) of whom 43 eyes of 42 patients completed initial loading of 3 monthly IVBr injections and were followed for more than 3 months. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) changes, anatomical outcomes, and complications were investigated. RESULTS: Of the 43 eyes that completed loading doses, the AMD subtype was type 1 and type 2 macular neovascularization (MNV) in 51%, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in 42%, and type 3 MNV in 7%. At 3 months after initiating treatment, BCVA significantly improved (P = 0.002) and central retinal thickness significantly decreased (P < 0.0001). At 3 months, complete retinal and subretinal fluid resolution was achieved in 91% of all eyes and complete regression of polypoidal lesions was achieved in 82% of PCV eyes. Iritis occurred in 8 eyes of 8 patients (14%), but resolved using topical or subtenon corticosteroid injection without visual loss in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: IVBr for treatment-naïve neovascular AMD was effective in the short-term, achieving significantly improved BCVA, good retinal fluid resolution, and a high rate of polypoidal lesion regression. However, iritis was noted in 14% of patients which may limit use of this drug.

PERIPHERAL CHOROIDAL THICKNESS DETERMINED BY WIDE-FIELD OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY IN EYES WITH CENTRAL SEROUS CHORIORETINOPATHY.

PURPOSE: To determine the central and peripheral choroidal thickness in eyes with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and to compare these thicknesses values with those of control normal eyes. METHODS: Wide-field optical coherence tomographic images of 24 eyes of 19 patients with CSC and 14 normal eyes of 7 individuals were recorded. A 20-mm vertical scan through the fovea was obtained with the Xephilio optical coherence tomographic S1 (Canon, Japan), a wide-field optical coherence tomographic device. The subfoveal choroidal thickness and the thickness at 5 mm superior (S5) and inferior (I5), 7 mm superior (S7) and inferior (I7), 8.5 mm superior (S8) and inferior (I8), and 10 mm superior (S10) and inferior (I10) from the fovea in the CSC eyes and normal eyes were compared. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the age ( P = 0.8) or the refractive error ( P = 0.7) between the CSC and normal eyes. The choroidal thickness was significantly thicker in the eyes with CSC than that in the normal eyes at subfoveal choroidal thickness ( P < 0.01), S5 ( P = 0.01), and S7 ( P = 0.02). However, there was no significant difference in the choroidal thickness at the more peripheral points (all P > 0.1). CONCLUSION: The thickened choroid in CSC was observed at the fovea and the area just superior to the fovea. The pathogenesis of CSC may be associated with the choroidal thickening confined to the fovea and superior foveal area.

Acute idiopathic maculopathy after COVID-19 vaccination.

Purpose: We report a case of acute idiopathic maculopathy (AIM) that developed after COVID-19 vaccination. Observations: A 54-year-old woman complained of a sudden decrease of visual acuity in her right eye one day after receiving a second COVID-19 vaccination (Pfizer). Fundus photograph showed a circular yellow lesion at the fovea in right eye. Optical coherence tomography revealed the thickening of retinal pigment epithelium and the presence of subretinal fluid. Three months after the initial visit, the BCVA and the fundus images had favorable recovery in the right eye. Conclusions and Importance: We describe a case of AIM after receiving COVID-19 vaccination. These findings may be a helpful in understanding the pathogenesis of AIM.

Subfoveal choroidal thickness after brolucizumab therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a short-term multicenter study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Observation of choroidal thickness after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy may be important for the ideal management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This study investigated changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) during loading doses of intravitreal injections of brolucizumab in eyes with neovascular AMD. METHODS: This study included 73 eyes of 72 patients with neovascular AMD at five university hospitals in Japan. All 73 eyes underwent three monthly 6.0 mg intravitreal injections of brolucizumab at baseline, 1 month, and 2 months. The SCT at 3 months was evaluated using optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: The 73 eyes were classified into the treatment-naïve group (43 eyes) and the switched group (30 eyes) that were switched from other anti-VEGF treatments. After three intravitreal injections of brolucizumab, SCT significantly decreased from 236.5 ± 98.8 µm at baseline to 200.4 ± 98.3 µm at 3 months (percent of baseline 84.7%, P < 0.001) in the treatment-naïve group. In the switched group, SCT also significantly decreased from 229.0 ± 113.2 µm at baseline to 216.9 ± 110.2 µm at 3 months (percent of baseline 94.7%, P = 0.039), although the decrease was not as marked compared to that of the treatment-naïve group. CONCLUSION: Intravitreal injections of brolucizumab for neovascular AMD significantly reduced the SCT in both the treatment-naïve and switched groups. Brolucizumab may cause significant anatomic changes in the choroid, particularly in treatment-naïve AMD eyes, possibly more than that previously reported for other anti-VEGF agents.

Morphological differences of choroid in central serous chorioretinopathy determined by ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the morphology of the central and peripheral choroid of eyes with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) to that of normal eyes using ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography (UWF-OCT). METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 29 eyes of 25 patients (23 men, 2 women; average age 44.4 years) with CSC and 34 eyes of 22 healthy subjects (19 men, 3 women; average age, 49.5 years) with normal eyes. The images obtained by a prototype swept source UWF-OCT (Topcon, Tokyo, Japan) of about 31.5-mm wide and a depth of 10.9 mm were analyzed. The choroidal thickness was measured for each sector of the eye using the conventional automated layer analysis method. The local morphological differences were quantified by the maximum steepness (µm/deg) which was obtained by differentiating the changes in the choroidal thickness from the periphery to the fovea. Only the vertical scans were evaluated to avoid the influence of the optic disc. RESULTS: The choroid was thicker in the macular area than the peripheral area in both normal and CSC eyes. The choroid at the subfovea was significantly thicker in the CSC eyes than that of the normal eyes (P < 0.0001); however, the difference at the periphery was not significant. The mean of the maximum steepness of the choroidal thickness was 20.8 ± 3.8 µm/deg in the CSC eyes which was significantly steeper than the 16.0 ± 4.6 µm/deg in healthy eyes (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The choroid in CSC eyes has a steeper slope around the posterior pole. UWF-OCT can be used to evaluate the abnormalities of the choroidal structures from the posterior pole to the periphery in eyes with CSC.

OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY FINDINGS OF CLASSIC CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULARIZATION IN POLYPOIDAL CHOROIDAL VASCULOPATHY.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the flow signals in subretinal hyperreflective material (SHRM) that represents classic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) on fluorescein angiography in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 20 eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy that appeared to have classic CNV on fluorescein angiography, accompanied by SHRM on optical coherence tomography (OCT) at the same location. Using OCT angiography (OCTA), we analyzed intrinsic flow signals in the SHRM (cross-sectional B-scans and en face). The possible association between pretreatment OCT angiography findings and fibrotic scar formation after antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment was evaluated. RESULTS: Six of 20 eyes (30%) showed vascular SHRM; the remaining 14 eyes (70%) showed avascular SHRM at the classic CNV site at baseline. The SHRM corresponded with polypoidal lesions seen on indocyanine green angiography in 5 of 6 eyes with vascular SHRM and in all 14 eyes with avascular SHRM. After anti-VEGF treatment, all 6 eyes with vascular SHRM left a fibrotic scar, whereas all 14 eyes with avascular SHRM showed no scar formation (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Using OCT angiography, we evaluated the flow signals in SHRM that represented classic CNV in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy and successfully differentiated true Type 2 macular neovascularization from pseudo classic CNV.

Long-term characteristics of exudative age-related macular degeneration in Japanese patients.

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Japanese patients over a 10-year period and to compare the past our report. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 1,600 treatment-naïve patients (1,777 eyes) with exudative AMD. The 10 years were divided into 2-year phases I to V. RESULTS: Of the 1,600 patients, 720 (45.0%), 733 (45.8%), 98 (6.1%), and 49 (3.1%) were diagnosed with typical AMD, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), retinal angiomatous proliferation, and combined subtypes, respectively. The prevalence of PCV decreased from 54.7% in phase I to 46.0% at phase V. Of the 1,777 eyes, the mean baseline logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuities (BCVAs) in phases I, II, III, IV, and V were 0.70, 0.66, 0.55, 0.50, and 0.48, respectively. Phases III, IV, and V had significantly (P = 0.0012, P<0.0001, P<0.0001, respectively) better baseline VAs compared with phase I. The mean lesion sizes in phases I, II, III, IV, and V were 8.6, 6.7, 5.3, 5.7, and 5.7 Macular Photocoagulation Study disc areas, respectively. The sizes were significantly (P<0.0001 for all comparisons) smaller in phases III, IV, and V compared with phase I. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence of PCV decreased from 54.7% in phase I to 46.0% at phase V, PCV has nevertheless been highly prevalent in Japanese patients with AMD compared with Caucasian patients. The annual better baseline VAs and smaller lesion sizes over time might be related to development of treatment and better concerns about AMD.

Diagnosis of central serous chorioretinopathy by deep learning analysis of en face images of choroidal vasculature: A pilot study.

PURPOSE: To diagnose central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) by deep learning (DL) analyses of en face images of the choroidal vasculature obtained by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and to analyze the regions of interest for the DL from heatmaps. METHODS: One-hundred eyes were studied; 53 eyes with CSC and 47 normal eyes. Volume scans of 12×12 mm square were obtained at the same time as the OCT angiographic (OCTA) scans (Plex Elite 9000 Swept-Source OCT®, Zeiss). High-quality en face images of the choroidal vasculature of the segmentation slab of one-half of the subfoveal choroidal thickness were created for the analyses. The 100 en face images were divided into 80 for training and 20 for validation. Thus, we divided it into five groups of 20 eyes each, trained the remaining 80 eyes in each group, and then calculated the correct answer rate for each group by validation with 20 eyes. The Neural Network Console (NNC) developed by Sony and the Keras-Tensorflow backend developed by Google were used as the software for the classification with 16 layers of convolutional neural networks. The active region of the heatmap based on the feature quantity extracted by DL was also evaluated as the percentages with gradient-weighted class activation mapping implemented in Keras. RESULTS: The mean accuracy rate of the validation was 95% for NNC and 88% for Keras. This difference was not significant (P >0.1). The mean active region in the heatmap image was 12.5% in CSC eyes which was significantly lower than the 79.8% in normal eyes (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: CSC can be automatically diagnosed by DL with high accuracy from en face images of the choroidal vasculature with different programs, convolutional layer structures, and small data sets. Heatmap analyses showed that the DL focused on the area occupied by the choroidal vessels and their uniformity. We conclude that DL can help in the diagnosis of CSC.

Characteristics of treatment-naïve quiescent choroidal neovascularization detected by optical coherence tomography angiography in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: To determine the characteristics of eyes with treatment-naïve quiescent choroidal neovascularization (CNV) detected by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). METHODS: Thirty-eight eyes of 37 treatment-naïve consecutive patients (30 men, 7 women, average 69.8 years) were studied. Quiescent CNVs were detected by OCTA (RTVue XR Avanti, Optovue, Fremont, CA) in all eyes. Swept-source OCT (SS-OCT; DRI-OCT, Topcon, Japan) confirmed the absence of exudation. The symptoms, visual acuity, CNV size, and status of the fellow eye were evaluated. Patients were followed longitudinally and the length of follow-up period and development of exudation were recorded for each patient. We also investigated patients' medical records from their referral hospitals in search of prior exudation. RESULTS: All eyes with quiescent CNV were diagnosed at the initial visit with sub-retinal pigment epithelium CNVs, i.e., type 1 CNV, from the OCT and OCTA images. Prior exudation was confirmed in 15 eyes (39.5%) from their medical records of the referral hospitals. Symptoms were present in 18 eyes (47.3%). An exudative CNV was present in 12 of the fellow eyes. Exudation developed in 12 eyes (31.6%) during an average follow-up period of 25.1 months. One-half of the eyes had a prior exudation. The CNV at the baseline in eyes that developed exudation during the follow-up period was larger than eyes without exudation; however, the difference was not significant (0.59±0.47 vs 0.48±0.32 mm2, P = 0.50). CONCLUSION: Quiescent CNVs will develop exudation in approximately 30% of the eyes during a mean 2-year follow-up period. These findings must be remembered when investigating quiescent CNVs that could not be distinguished from eyes with former active CNV and naturally deactivate CNV.