Background/aims To evaluate changes in fundus autofluorescence (FAF) after treatments for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

Methods Thirty-six eyes of 35 patients with treatment-naive PCV underwent intravitreal injection of ranibizumab, photodynamic therapy, or a combination of both treatments. FAF and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) at baseline were compared with those obtained 12 months later about the changes at the affected lesion.

Results In the 36 eyes, 88 polyps were detected on ICGA at baseline, and 65 (73.9%) of those showed centred hypoautofluorescence and a circumferential hyperautofluorescent ring on FAF. Twelve months later, ICGA revealed resolution of 42 of those 65 polyps. Of those 42 resolved polyps, 30 hyperautofluorescent rings (71.4%) were eliminated concurrently with the resolution of polyp. Statistical analysis revealed that an elimination of the hyperautofluorescent ring was more frequently observed in association with the resolved polyps than with the persistent polyps (p<0.0001). All the hypoautofluorescent findings corresponding to branching vascular networks at baseline were unchanged during the follow-up period.

Conclusions Elimination of the hyperautofluorescent ring is highly associated with the resolution of the polyp on ICGA. We propose that FAF has a potential as a non-invasive method of evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of treatments for PCV.