NATURAL COURSE AND FUNDUSCOPIC FINDINGS OF POLYPOIDAL CHOROIDAL VASCULOPATHY IN A JAPANESE POPULATION OVER 1 YEAR OF FOLLOW-UP

Purpose: To evaluate the natural course and possible funduscopic risk factors for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in a Japanese population. Methods: The records of 42 eyes from 41 patients (27 men and 14 women) diagnosed as having polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy located in the macula between November 1999 and October 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. The funduscopic findings at the first visit were evaluated. The changes in the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from the baseline to 12 months were analyzed. The lesion types (clustered vs. nonclustered) found on indocyanine green angiography were compared for changes in the BCVA from the initial visit to 12 months. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 73.8 +/- 8.0 years. The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) BCVA was 0.48 +/- 4.0 at baseline and deteriorated to 0.75 +/- 5.7 after 12 months, which was statistically significant (P = 0.00075). The mean LogMAR BCVA in the patients showing "nonclustered" polypoidal choroidal lesions on indocyanine green angiography was maintained for 12 months, while that of the "clustered" group decreased significantly during the same period (P = 0.0014). Conclusion: Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy did not show a favorable outcome in terms of the mean BCVA 12 months after the initial visit. The clustered polypoidal choroidal lesions on indocyanine green angiography may be related to poor prognosis of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy over the natural course. RETINA 31:1598-1602, 2011