Effects of Photobiomodulation in Patients Presenting with Reticular Pseudodrusen: A Retrospective Observational Case Series Study.

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study is to describe the effects of photobiomodulation on drusen regression with patients presenting with reticular pseudodrusen (RPD). Materials and Methods: This study is a retrospective observational case series study including patients presenting with RPD who underwent treatment by photobiomodulation. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination and multimodal imaging prior to treatment, including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Eyes were treated two times per week for six consecutive weeks. Best corrected-visual acuity (BVCA) was measured prior and after treatment for all patients. The number of RPD on the SD-OCT scans centered on the macula and stages of RPD was noted at baseline and 6 months after the first treatment session. Results: Five eyes of five patients were included in the study. Mean BCVA did not change 6 months after treatment compared to baseline. Mean number of RPD per eye was 112.60 +/- 48.33 RPD at baseline and 111.6 +/- 49.29 in the same area 6 months after treatment. Changes in RPD distribution according to RPD classification were observed before and after treatment with photobiomodulation. Changes in distribution mostly concerned stages 1 and 3 RPD: Total number of stage 1 RPD was 289 and increased to 324 after treatment. Total number of stage 3 RPD was 97 at baseline and decreased to 67 6 months after treatment. Percentage of stage 1 RPD increased from 46% to 56% after treatment. Percentage of stage 3 RPD decreased from 20% to 13% after treatment. Conclusions: Changes in RPD distribution were observed before and after treatment with photobiomodulation. The number of stage 3 reticular pseudodrusen decreased while number of stage 1 reticular pseudodrusen increased after treatment.

REAL-COLOR VERSUS PSEUDO-COLOR IMAGING OF FIBROTIC SCARS IN EXUDATIVE AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION.

PURPOSE: To compare the morphological characteristics of subretinal fibrosis in late age-related macular degeneration using multicolor (MC) imaging, color fundus photography (CFP), and ultra-widefield CFP (UWFCFP). METHODS: Thirty-two eyes of 31 patients diagnosed with subretinal fibrosis complicating exudative age-related macular degeneration were included. Included eyes were imaged by MC, CFP, and UWFCFP. The overall ability to visualize fibrosis, its margins, and dissimilarity with surrounding atrophy was graded using a score (0: not visible, 1: barely visible, 2: mostly visible, and 3: fully visible) by two readers. Area of fibrosis was calculated. Scaling, lesion colocalization on all three imaging techniques, and area measurements were performed using ImageJ. RESULTS: Ninety-six images of 32 eyes were graded. The average area of fibrosis was 14.59 ± 8.94 mm for MC, 13.84 ± 8.56 mm for CFP, and 13.76 ± 8.79 mm for UWFCFP. Fibrosis was fully visible in 87.5% of cases using MC and 50% using CFP and UWFCFP. Fibrosis' margins were sharply defined in 40.6% of eyes with MC, 15.6% and 9.4% with CFP and UWFCFP, respectively. Multicolor imaging provided superior distinction between fibrosis and atrophy (100% for MC vs. 13.4% for CFP and 33.3% for UWFCFP). The inter- and intra-reader agreement was high for all measurements (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Multicolor technology allows for improved visualization and analysis of subretinal fibrosis when compared with CFP and UWFCFP, especially when surrounding atrophy is present.

Comparison of Multimodal Imaging for the Characterization of Geographic Atrophy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the performances of infrared (IR), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), and multicolor (MC) imaging in the characterization of geographic atrophy, with a focus on the possibility to detect incomplete retinal pigmented and outer retinal atrophy (iRORA) on en face imaging. Methods: The ground truth was established by two graders evaluating atrophy on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) images. A score for visibility of foveal sparing and margins of atrophy was attributed. Measurement of the atrophic area and the fovea-to-margin distance were performed. Accuracy of detection of foveal sparing was evaluated through comparison with B-scan images ground truth, with/without the inclusion of patients with foveal iRORA. Results: Seventy patients were included in this study. Foveal sparing and atrophy's margins subjective visibility were significantly higher rated on MC images compared to IR and FAF (P < 0.005 and P < 0.001). Agreement with OCT B-scan assessed foveal sparing revealed a significantly higher area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) for MC images at the analysis performed both with (0.876) and without (0.853) inclusion of patients with foveal iRORA (P < 0.001 and P = 0.006). Quantitative measurements revealed lower atrophy extension (P = 0.026) and fovea-to-margin distance (P = 0.019) with MC imaging. Conclusions: MC imaging performed better at foveal sparing assessment, especially in the setting of foveal iRORA. MC also resulted in higher visibility of atrophy's margins, lower atrophy extension measurements, and lower distance from the fovea to atrophy's margins compared to both FAF and IR. Translational Relevance: MC rated significantly higher in foveal sparing and atrophy detection, higher visibility of atrophy's margins, lower atrophy extension measurements, and lower distance from the fovea to atrophy's margins, compared to FAF and IR.

Subretinal pigment epithelium fibrotic tissue morphological changes after a single anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection in age-related macular degeneration.

AIMS: To demonstrate and evaluate the morphological changes of multilayered fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachment (PED) to a single anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injection in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the morphological changes of 30 eyes with exudative AMD showing fibrotic multilayered PED, between two consecutive visits. All patients had one anti-VEGF intravitreal injection at the first visit. We quantitatively analysed the different compartments within the PED and their morphological response. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time interval between the first and the second visit was 32.46±4.64 days. We defined three optical coherence tomography zones within the PED: a subretinal pigment epithelium inhomogeneous hyporeflective space (layer 1), a hyper-reflective band beneath layer 1 (layer 2), and a hyporeflective space between the Bruch's membrane and layer 2 (layer 3). The mean height of layer 1 was 142±44.63 and 99.30±39.79 µm at visits 1 and 2, respectively. The mean thickness of layer 2 was 101.42±46.66 and 82.76±35.24 µm at visits 1 and 2, respectively. The mean height of layer 3 was 35.77±32.77 and 5.66±8.68 µm at visits 1 and 2, respectively (p=0.009). The mean height change for layer 1 was statistically significantly higher than for layer 2 (p=0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: Fibrovascular PED was compartmented into three layers with different reflectivities that morphologically responded differently to a single anti-VEGF injection. Layer 2 had a statistically significantly lower response compared with layer 1, suggesting the hypothesis of a fibrotic component in layer 2.