Objective: A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent surgical removal of subfoveal neovascular membranes caused by factors other than age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS) was performed.
Methods: 17 eyes (16 patients) were identified in which subfoveal neovascularization was caused by myopic degeneration (5 eyes), angioid streaks (5 eyes of 4 patients), idiopathic neovascularization (4 eyes), punctate inner choroidopathy (1 eye), multifocal choroiditis (1 eye), or candida chorioretinitis (1 eye).
Results: Visual acuity remained stable after surgery in 10 of 17 eyes (59%), improved by 2 or more Snellen lines in 6 eyes (35%) and decreased in 1 eye (6%). Preoperative visual acuity was 20/80 or better in only 1 of 17 eyes (6%), but 5 of 17 eyes (29%) achieved postoperative visual acuity of 20/80 or better. Intraoperative and postoperative complications included peripheral retinal tears (1 eye), peripheral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (1 eye), and mild cataract formation (1 eye). Subretinal neovascularization recurred after surgical removal in 4 eyes, 2 of which underwent repeat surgery.
Conclusion: Visual acuity remained stable or improved in 94% of eyes after surgical removal of subfoveal neovascularization, but postoperative visual acuity better than 20/80 was achieved in a minority of eyes.