OUTCOMES AND HEALING PROCESS OF RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIAL TEARS IN AMD PATIENTS: A 5-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL CASE SERIES.
Source: PubMed, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine
To evaluate the incidence of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) remodeling after RPE tears in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and assess its association with visual outcomes over a 5-year follow-up. This retrospective observational study reviewed AMD eyes with RPE tears and a minimum follow-up of 5 years. Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were recorded, and the presence and delay to development of tear-associated retinal pigment epithelial proliferation (TARP) were evaluated. Twenty-six eyes from 23 patients were included. Mean age was 80.08 ± 6.67 years. Baseline BCVA was 0.83 ± 0.52 logMAR (Snellen equivalent 20/125), and final BCVA declined to 1.05 ± 0.54 logMAR (20/200) (p = 0.028). Mean follow-up was 6.25 ± 1.25 years. Both the greatest linear diameter and the area of RPE loss increased significantly from baseline to year 5 (p = 0.012 and p = 0.009, respectively). TARP was observed in 54.2% of eyes at 5 years, with a mean onset of 293 ± 258 days. Final BCVA was significantly worse in eyes with subretinal hemorrhage (p = 0.02), while the presence of TARP was not associated with visual outcome (p = 0.21). At 5 years, BCVA declined in both groups (with and without TARP), with no significant difference (p = 0.21). Approximately half of the eyes with RPE tears developed TARP, typically within the first year. TARP did not confer a visual benefit. These findings suggest that anatomical remodeling of RPE tears may occur without translat
Abstract
To evaluate the incidence of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) remodeling after RPE tears in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and assess its association with visual outcomes over a 5-year follow-up. This retrospective observational study reviewed AMD eyes with RPE tears and a minimum follow-up of 5 years. Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were recorded, and the presence and delay to development of tear-associated retinal pigment epithelial proliferation (TARP) were evaluated. Twenty-six eyes from 23 patients were included. Mean age was 80.08 ± 6.67 years. Baseline BCVA was 0.83 ± 0.52 logMAR (Snellen equivalent 20/125), and final BCVA declined to 1.05 ± 0.54 logMAR (20/200) (p = 0.028). Mean follow-up was 6.25 ± 1.25 years. Both the greatest linear diameter and the area of RPE loss increased significantly from baseline to year 5 (p = 0.012 and p = 0.009, respectively). TARP was observed in 54.2% of eyes at 5 years, with a mean onset of 293 ± 258 days. Final BCVA was significantly worse in eyes with subretinal hemorrhage (p = 0.02), while the presence of TARP was not associated with visual outcome (p = 0.21). At 5 years, BCVA declined in both groups (with and without TARP), with no significant difference (p = 0.21). Approximately half of the eyes with RPE tears developed TARP, typically within the first year. TARP did not confer a visual benefit. These findings suggest that anatomical remodeling of RPE tears may occur without translating into improved visual outcomes.