Use of a macular buckle in the treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

To evaluate a macular buckle for exudative choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty-two eyes with choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVM) secondary to ARMD underwent surgical placement of a macular buckle. A Gore-Tex strip (2.0-2.5 mm wide) was button-holed through a 5 mm diameter silicone sponge (9 mm long) and placed behind the macula underneath the CNVM by the same surgeon (Dr Peyman) in all cases. Follow-up ranged from 7-76 months (mean, 20.9 months).

RESULTS

Of 12 eyes with classic subfoveal CNVM: 4 (33%) gained 2 or more lines of Snellen visual acuity; 3 (25%) gained 1 line, remained the same, or lost 1 line; and 5 (42%) lost 2 or more lines (range + 6 to - 6 lines). Of 22 eyes with ill-defined subfoveal CNVM: 12 (54%) gained 1 line, remained the same, or lost 1 line; and 10 (46%) lost 2 or more lines (range + 1 to - 8 lines). Eight eyes with ill-defined juxtafoveal CNVM had the following visual acuity outcomes: 5 eyes (62%) maintained the same level of Snellen visual acuity (gained 1, 0, or lost 1 line); and 3 (38%) got worse (lost 2 or more lines of Snellen visual acuity, range + 1 to - 6 lines). Ten eyes (24%) bled subretinally during the follow-up period (average 11.5 months, range 14 days to 27 months), all outside the area of indentation of the macular buckle.

CONCLUSIONS

The macular buckle treatment for exudative subretinal choroidal neovascular membranes in ARMD stabilized visual decline and displaced significant subfoveal hemorrhage.