Purpose: To evaluate the prognosis and response of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), according to the components of subretinal hyperreflective material (SHRM) classified using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), is the aim of this study.
Methods: We retrospectively studied 39 eyes of 39 consecutive patients with SHRM associated with exudative AMD, who underwent standard examination and multimodal imaging, including fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and OCTA. We classified SHRM into type 2 neovascularization (NV), fibrosis, subretinal hyperreflective exudation (SHE), and hemorrhage using OCTA. If compound SHRM was found, components in the foveal center were considered. All patients except one with fibrosis received anti-VEGF treatment for more than 12 months. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) values measured before treatment and at 3, 6, and 12 months after the first injection were compared according to the components of SHRM.
Results: Using OCTA, 11 eyes with type 2 NV showed abnormal blood flow and 1 eye with fibrosis showed strong surface projection. Both SHE and hemorrhage components showed projection artifact with no intrinsic flow. However, OCTA enabled eyes with SHE (17 eyes) to be distinguished from those with hemorrhage (10 eyes) because hemorrhage showed masking of choriocapillaris flow. Eyes with SHE showed a significant improvement in the mean logMAR BCVA as compared with the value at the baseline, which was sustained throughout the 12-month follow-up period (p < 0.05). In eyes with type 2 NV and hemorrhage, no significant difference in the mean BCVA values was observed at any follow-up time-point (all, p > 0.05).
Conclusion: OCTA was useful to noninvasively distinguish SHRM components. It may be important to consider the components of SHRM to predict the visual acuity in patients with AMD.
Keywords: Age-related macular degeneration; Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor; Choroidal neovascularization; Optical coherence tomography angiography; Subretinal hyperreflective exudation; Subretinal hyperreflective material.