[Macular degeneration related to age and cystoid macular edema. Apropos of 95 cases (100 eyes)]

Abstract

The leakage from the new vessels, responsible for the exudative form of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), produces retinal detachment, haemorrhages, exudates and intraretinal cystoid macular edema (CME). In a retrospective study of 100 eyes, we assessed the prognostic value of cystoid macular degeneration of the inner retina. It was nos specifically linked to: 1 - the duration of the neovascular involvement; 2 - the extent of the neovascular membrane; 3 - the location of the new vessels; 4 - the type of the new vessels; definite (48 eyes) or occult (19 eyes), or advanced and fibrous lesions (21 eyes). However, cystoid macular edema was initially associated to legal blindness in 46% of eyes. Active SNV associated with CME were retrofoveal in 83% of the eyes. But biomicroscopical evidence of CME requires fluorescein angiography to identify the new vessels still amenable to laser photocoagulation. After a follow-up period ranging from 30 days to 6 years (mean 15 months), 69% of eyes were legally blind although 41 eyes were treated with laser photocoagulation (focal or perifoveolar). Thus, functional prognosis in ARMD is not uniquely and directly correlated with the presence of cystoid macular edema in ARMD.