Long-term Incidence and Risk Factors of Macular Fibrosis, Macular Atrophy, and Macular Hole in Eyes with Myopic Neovascularization.

PURPOSE: To identify the risk factors associated with myopic macular neovascularization (mMNV)-related complications in patients treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF agents.

DESIGN

Longitudinal cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

Myopic eyes (n = 313) with active mMNV and median (interquartile range) follow-up of 42 months (interquartile range, 18-68 months) after initiation of anti-VEGF treatment.

METHODS

Data regarding patients' clinical and mMNV-related characteristics were collected at baseline. Subsequent OCT scans were inspected for mMNV-related complications. Best-measured visual acuity (BMVA) values were retrieved from each visit.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence rate and hazard ratio (HR, with 95% confidence interval [CI]) of risk factors for fibrosis and macular atrophy calculated with Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models. Crude incidence of macular hole (MH). Longitudinal BMVA changes.

RESULTS

Five-year incidence of fibrosis, atrophy, and MH were 34%, 26%, and 8%, respectively. The rate of fibrosis was 10.3 (95% CI, 8.25-12.6) per 100 person-years. Risk factors were subfoveal mMNV location (HR [95% CI] = 12.7 [2.70-56.7] vs. extrafoveal, P = 0.001) and intraretinal fluid at baseline (HR [95% CI] = 1.75 [1.05-2.98], P = 0.03). The rate of macular atrophy was 6.5 (95% CI, 5-8.3) per 100 person-years. Risk factors were diffuse (HR, 2.20 vs. tessellated fundus; 95% CI, 1.13-5.45; P = 0.02) or patchy chorioretinal atrophy (HR, 3.17 vs. tessellated fundus; 95% CI, 1.32-7.64; P = 0.01) at baseline and more numerous anti-VEGF injections before baseline (HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06-1.38 for each treatment; P = 0.005). Eyes with fibrosis and macular atrophy had faster BMVA decay over follow-up. Twenty eyes (6%) developed MH. Two subtypes of MH were identified: "atrophic" and "tractional."

CONCLUSIONS

Myopic MNV-related complications are common in the long term despite initially successful treatment and have detrimental effects on visual acuity. Insights into their incidence and risk factors may help for future treatments to mitigate sight-threatening outcomes.