Fibrovascular tissue in bilateral juxtafoveal telangiectasis.

OBJECTIVE

To study the natural history and retinal findings associated with the intraretinal and subretinal fibrovascular tissues that develop in the late phases of bilateral juxtafoveal telangiectasis.

METHODS

The records of 10 patients (11 eyes) with bilateral juxtafoveal telangiectasis who developed these fibrovascular tissues were examined.

RESULTS

Throughout the follow-up period (average 44 months), only 2 eyes (18%) lost 2 or more lines of vision; the final visual acuities were similar for the eyes both with and without fibrovascular tissues. Sixty-four percent of fibrovascular tissues showed little to no growth. Eyes with fibrovascular tissue commonly had retinal pigment epithelial hyperplasia (72%), draining retinal venules (82%), and retinal vascular distortion (64%).

CONCLUSIONS

Fibrovascular tissues of bilateral juxtafoveal telangiectasis have little proliferative potential and minimal effects on visual acuity. Nevertheless, these fibrovascular tissues do remodel over time, leading to retinal vascular distortion. Given these benign findings, the role of laser photocoagulation treatment of these tissues is questionable.