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Purpose: To evaluate the 3-month natural course of recurrent macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) treated with intravitreal bevacizumab., Methods: This retrospective, observational study included 36 eyes with macular edema secondary to BRVO. All patients were initially treated with intravitreal bevacizumab for macular edema. Recurrence of macular edema was either not treated (untreated group) or treated with a single intravitreal bevacizumab injection (treated group). Central foveal thickness (CFT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were compared at the time of recurrence and 3 months later., Results: At the time of recurrence, the mean CFT and logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution BCVA were 484.9 ± 124.1 µm and 0.58 ± 0.26 in the untreated group (n = 19) and 456.3 ± 126.8 µm and 0.51 ± 0.21 in the treated group (n = 17), respectively. Three months later, the mean CFT and BCVA had changed to 493.7 ± 123.9 µm and 0.62 ± 0.29 in the untreated group and 294.7 ± 104.4 µm and 0.40 ± 0.24 in the treated group, respectively. The differences in CFT and BCVA between the two time points were not significant in the untreated group ( p = 0.106 and p = 0.687, respectively), whereas statistically significant differences were noted in the treated group ( p = 0.002 and p < 0.001, respectively)., Conclusions: Unlike the first episode of macular edema following BRVO, recurrent macular edema following intravitreal bevacizumab therapy did not spontaneously resolve, suggesting the potential benefit of prompt treatment., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal aflibercept monotherapy in submacular hemorrhage (SMH) secondary to wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD)., Methods: This study included 25 eyes in 25 patients with SMH involving the fovea secondary to wet-AMD. All patients were treated with three consecutive monthly intravitreal aflibercept (2.0 mg/0.05 mL) injections, followed by as-needed reinjection. They were followed for at least 6 months. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central foveal thickness (CFT), and area of SMH were measured at diagnosis, as well as at 3 and 6 months after treatment initiation., Results: The BCVA significantly improved from 0.79 ± 0.41 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) at baseline to 0.54 ± 0.41 logMAR at 6 months ( p < 0.001). BCVA ≥3 lines and stable vision were observed in 96% of the eyes. The CFT significantly decreased from 560.8 ± 215.3 µm at baseline to 299.8 ± 160.2 µm at 6 months ( p < 0.001). The area of SMH significantly decreased from 10.5 ± 7.1 mm 2 at baseline to 1.8 ± 6.5 mm 2 at 6 months ( p < 0.001). The BCVA, CFT, and area of SMH at baseline, as well as duration of symptoms, all correlated with BCVA at the 6-month follow-up., Conclusions: Intravitreal injection of aflibercept is an effective treatment option for patients with SMH secondary to wet-AMD; however, there may be limited efficacy in eyes with large SMH area and cases in which treatment is delayed., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Purpose: To evaluate 12-month outcomes of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) with grape-like polyp clusters., Methods: This retrospective observational study included 23 eyes of 23 patients who were newly diagnosed with PCV with grape-like polyp clusters, and who were subsequently treated with anti-VEGF monotherapy. The study compares the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of the patients at diagnosis, at 3 months, and at 12 months after diagnosis. In addition, 12-month changes in BCVA values were compared between cases with subfoveal or juxtafoveal polyps and cases with extrafoveal polyps., Results: The baseline, 3-month, and 12-month logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution BCVA was 0.62 ± 0.35, 0.50 ± 0.43, and 0.58 ± 0.48, respectively. Compared to the baseline, patient BCVA was not significantly different at 12 months after diagnosis (p = 0.764). Six eyes (26.1%) gained ≥0.2 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution BCVA. In cases with subfoveal or juxtafoveal polyps, BCVA values at baseline and at 12 months after diagnosis were 0.66 ± 0.37 and 0.69 ± 0.53, respectively. In cases with extrafoveal polyps, the values were 0.54 ± 0.33 and 0.37 ± 0.31, respectively. Changes in BCVA values were significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.023)., Conclusions: Although anti-VEGF therapy has favorable short-term efficacy for treating PCV with grape-like polyp clusters, long-term visual improvements are generally limited in the majority of afflicted eyes. The presence of subfoveal or juxtafoveal polyps may suggest unfavorable treatment outcomes.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of an optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based diagnosis of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in Korean patients., Methods: This retrospective, observational case series included 263 eyes of 263 patients (147 eyes with PCV and 116 eyes with typical exudative, age-related macular degeneration [AMD]) who had been diagnosed with treatment naïve exudative AMD. Eyes with three or more of the following OCT findings were diagnosed with PCV: multiple retinal pigment epithelial detachment (RPED), a sharp RPED peak, an RPED notch, a hyporeflective lumen representing polyps, and hyperreflective intraretinal hard exudates. The OCT-based diagnosis was compared with the gold-standard indocyanine green angiography-based method. The sensitivity and specificity of the OCT-based diagnosis was also estimated. An additional analysis was performed using a choroidal thickness criterion. Eyes with a subfoveal choroidal thickness greater than 300 µm were also diagnosed with PCV despite having only two OCT features., Results: In eyes with PCV, three or more OCT features were observed in 126 of 147 eyes (85.7%), and the incidence of typical exudative AMD was 16 of 116 eyes (13.8%). The sensitivity and specificity of an OCT-based diagnosis were 85.7% and 86.2%, respectively. After applying the choroidal thickness criterion, the sensitivity increased from 85.7% to 89.8%, and the specificity decreased from 86.2% to 84.5%., Conclusions: The OCT-based diagnosis of PCV showed a high sensitivity and specificity in Korean patients. The addition of a choroidal thickness criterion improved the sensitivity of the method with a minimal decrease in its specificity.

Purpose: To evaluate the 12-month outcome of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment for extrafoveal polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV)., Methods: This retrospective observational study included 32 eyes of 32 patients newly diagnosed with extrafoveal PCV (polyps located more than 500 µm from the center of the fovea). Patients were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab, bevacizumab, or both. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) at diagnosis and at 12 months were compared. Eyes were divided into two groups according to the presence of submacular hemorrhage. The BCVA in each group was compared at baseline and at 12 months., Results: During the 12-month study period, patients received an average of 4.0 ± 1.1 anti-VEGF injections. The BCVA at baseline, three-month post-diagnosis, and 12-month post-diagnosis was 0.59 ± 0.40, 0.34 ± 0.38, and 0.38 ± 0.38, respectively. The BCVA at 12 months was significantly better than the baseline value (p = 0.002). The CFT at baseline, three-month, and 12-month post-diagnosis was 477.1 ± 194.2 µm, 214.5 ± 108.8 µm, and 229.8 ± 106.1 µm, respectively. The CFT at 12 months was significantly lower than the baseline value (p < 0.001). A significant improvement in BCVA was noted in eyes with and without submacular hemorrhage (n = 13, p = 0.032 and n = 19, p = 0.007, respectively)., Conclusions: Anti-VEGF therapy was beneficial in extrafoveal PCV, regardless of the presence of submacular hemorrhage.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term outcomes of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monotherapy for patients diagnosed with submacular hemorrhage secondary to exudative age-related macular degeneration., Methods: This retrospective, observational study included 49 patients (49 eyes) who initially presented with submacular hemorrhage associated with exudative age-related macular degeneration and who were followed-up for at least 24 months. Only eyes that were treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF monotherapy were included in the study. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurements obtained at diagnosis, six months, and the final visit were compared. The associations of BCVA at the final visit with baseline BCVA, BCVA at six months, symptom duration, hemorrhage extent, and central foveal thickness were also analyzed., Results: Over the course of follow-up (mean, 32.1 ± 8.5 months), an average of 5.1 ± 2.2 anti-VEGF injections were administered. Recurrent hemorrhage was noted in 13 eyes (26.5%). The mean logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution BCVA at diagnosis, six months, and the final visit were 1.40 ± 0.52, 0.87 ± 0.64, and 1.03 ± 0.83, respectively. Both baseline BCVA (p = 0.012) and BCVA at six months (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with BCVA at the final visit., Conclusions: Improved visual acuity was maintained for more than two years with intravitreal anti-VEGF monotherapy. BCVA at six months is a useful clinical index to predict long-term visual prognosis.

Purpose: To evaluate patients' self-recognition of reduced visual acuity due to recurring macular edema in retinal vein occlusion., Methods: A retrospective review of medical records of patients who were diagnosed with recurring macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion was performed. The proportion of patients who recognized reduced visual acuity due to the recurrence of macular edema and who visited the hospital before the scheduled follow-up date was determined. Parameters including age, sex, diagnosis, visual acuity before recurrence of macular edema, and extent of visual acuity reduction due to recurrence of macular edema were compared in patients who recognized a reduction in visual acuity and those who did not. The proportion of patients who visited the hospital promptly was also determined., Results: Forty eyes of 40 patients were included in the analysis. Sixteen and 24 patients were diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion and branch retinal vein occlusion, respectively. Twenty-one patients (52.5%) recognized reduced visual acuity due to recurring macular edema. These patients were younger (59.2 ± 7.6 vs. 64.8 ± 9.4 years, p = 0.046), had better visual acuity before recurrence of macular edema (0.52 ± 0.48 vs. 1.02 ± 0.46, p = 0.002), and exhibited a greater reduction in visual acuity after recurrence of macular edema (0.34 ± 0.24 vs. 0.14 ± 0.13, p = 0.003). Only four patients visited the hospital before the scheduled follow-up date, and all of these patients lived relatively close to the hospital., Conclusions: For prompt treatment of recurring macular edema, more intensive education about the self-estimation of visual acuity is necessary, particularly for elderly patients who have relatively poor visual acuity. In addition, a simple and easy way to identify the recurrence of macular edema at the local clinic should be established for patients who live relatively far from the hospital.

Purpose: To identify the unique pathologic findings of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) in optical coherence tomography (OCT)., Methods: Retrospectively, 29 eyes of 25 patients with age-related macular degeneration and complicated RAP were analyzed. All 29 eyes had choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in the area of pigment epithelial detachment (PED) or adjacent to it, which was visible with fluorescein angiography or indocyanine green angiography. Cross-sectional images were obtained by OCT scanning through the CNV lesions., Results: Six distinctive findings of OCT included drusen (100%), inner retinal cyst (80%), outer retinal cyst (68%), fibrovascular PED (84%), serous retinal detachment (40%), and PED (68%)., Conclusions: Through analysis of OCT findings, we revealed six different types of lesions distinctive of RAP which may provide helpful diagnostic information for subsequent treatment and predicting the prognosis of RAP.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the visual outcomes and complications of unilateral scleral fixation of posterior chamber intraocular lenses (SF-PCIOLs) in pediatric complicated traumatic cataracts without capsular support., Methods: This study involved five eyes of five children who underwent unilateral SF-PCIOL. All patients had a unilateral complicated traumatic cataract associated with anterior or posterior segment injury. Visual acuity (VA), IOL position, and postoperative complications were assessed during follow-up., Results: The mean age of patients at the time of SF-PCIOL was 90 months (range, 66-115). The mean duration of follow-up time after surgery was 22 months (range, 5-55). In all patients, the best-corrected VA was either improved or was stable at last follow-up following SF-PCIOL implantation. There were no serious complications., Conclusions: Unilateral scleral fixation of PCIOL can be a safe and effective procedure for pediatric, unilateral, complicated traumatic cataracts without capsular support in selected cases.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of different doses of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide on diffuse diabetic macular edema., Methods: In a retrospective study, 44 eyes with diffuse diabetic macular edema were treated with an intravitreal injection of 4 mg (n=12 eyes), 8 mg (n=17) or 25 mg (n=15) of triamcinolone acetonide (TA). Optical coherence tomography, best-corrected logMAR visual acuity and Goldmann tonometry were performed at baseline, 1 week, and 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after treatment. Mean follow-up was 9.8 months (standard deviation=2.3) with a range of 5-12 months., Results: The duration of intravitreal TA effects on macular thickness and visual acuity increased with increasing dosage. An observed increase in intraocular pressure induced by TA was not significantly associated with dosage., Conclusions: In patients with diffuse diabetic macular edema who receive intravitreal TA, effects may last longer after a dosage of 25 mg, than after lower doses of 8 mg or 4 mg.