[Maculopathy with optic nerve pits : Morphological criteria in SD-OCT]

Choroid Involvement Secondary to Optic Disc Pit Maculopathy: OCT Analysis and Evolution After Surgical Treatment

PURPOSE

To assess choroidal changes associated to optic disc pit maculopathy (ODP-M) and their evolution after surgical treatment.

DESIGN

Multicentric retrospective case series.

METHODS

An analysis of 42 patients affected by unilateral ODP-M undergoing surgical treatment between 2013 and 2023 was conducted. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed at baseline and postoperative months 1, 6, 12, and 24 and most recent follow-up. Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and peripapillary choroidal thickness (PPCT) were measured in ODP-M and fellow eyes. The presence of retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) atrophy was used to distinguish between "early" and "advanced" disease, and data regarding fluid localization were collected.

RESULTS

Baseline SFCT in ODP-M eyes was significantly higher than fellow eyes (386.8 ± 88.9 vs 334.4 ± 72.2 µm, P = 0.002), in contrast to PPCT (192.6 ± 47.8 vs 181.2 ± 45.7 µm, P = .46). SFCT significantly decreased 1 month postoperatively (mean reduction 36.5 µm, P = .009) and remained below preoperative values throughout the follow-up, showed a mean reduction of 79.4 µm at final follow-up (P < .001). Conversely, PPCT showed no changes between preoperative and postoperative values (all P > .05). Nine eyes (21.4%) showed submacular dilated choroidal vessels, correlated with the presence of subretinal fluid (P = .008) and reducing in caliber after surgical treatment. The 10 eyes (23.8%) with advanced disease had lower baseline SFCT and worse best-corrected visual acuity compared to the early disease subgroup, and showed a delayed reduction of choroidal swelling postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

Subfoveal choroid may thicken and remodel in response to ODP-M, eventually returning to physiological values after surgical treatment. Moreover, the presence of RPE atrophy may influence retino-choroidal balance. Conversely, PPCT did not show comparable modifications.

Management of optic disc pit maculopathy: the European VitreoRetinal society optic pit study

PURPOSE

To evaluate a variety of techniques, and their anatomical and functional results, for the treatment of optic disc pit maculopathy (ODP-M). A secondary aim was to report on results of secondary procedures in cases of initial failure or recurrence.

METHODS

Multicentre retrospective study of 95 eyes with ODP-M, treated by 25 surgeons from 12 countries. Primary outcomes were anatomical resolution of subretinal fluid (SRF), intraretinal fluid (IRF) and visual acuity (VA) at 12 months.

RESULTS

Higher rates of SRF and IRF resorption were achieved in eyes treated with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) compared to external laser with or without tamponade: 64/72 (88.9%) versus 8/14 (57.1%) for SRF (p = 0.003), and 50/59 (84.7%) versus 3/10 (30%) for IRF (p = 0.002). The addition of juxtapapillary laser or internal limiting membrane (ILM) peel during PPV did not improve SRF or IRF resolution. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with tamponade and PPV with tamponade plus endolaser were associated with significant visual gain. In the former group, VA improved from a mean of logMAR 0.91 (20/162), to a mean of logMAR 0.52 (20/66) at 12 months; in the latter group, VA improved from a mean of logMAR 0.82 (20/132) to a mean of logMAR 0.47 (20/59) at 12 months. Retreatments were performed in 14 eyes (15.7%), only enhancing anatomical outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Vitrectomy with tamponade had better final outcomes than external laser treatment with or without gas tamponade. Laser endophotocoagulation and ILM peel provided no additional benefit. A secondary treatment resulted in anatomical but not functional improvement.

Surgical outcomes in patients with optic disc pit maculopathy: does peeling the ILM lead to better outcomes?

PURPOSE

Optic disc pits (ODPs) are rare congenital anomalies. Several patients develop optic disc pit maculopathy (ODP-M): visual impairment caused by intra- and/or subretinal fluid. Treatment mode remains controversial. This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and gas tamponade with or without internal limiting membrane (ILM)-peeling in improving visual acuity and reducing subretinal fluid in ODP-M patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 16 patients who underwent surgery for ODP-M from 2002-2015. Six patients underwent PPV with gas tamponade (group 1); ten patients additionally received ILM-peeling (group 2). Pre- and postoperative visual acuity and central retinal thickness (CRT) were compared between groups, as well as retinal morphology and the number of secondary vitrectomies and complications.

RESULTS

Median visual acuity improved by 2 ETDRS lines in both groups (p = 0.713, Mann-Whitney U test). Median CRT decreased by 426.5 µm and 460 µm (p = 0.931). One patient in group 1 underwent repeat vitrectomy for persistent retinoschisis. Three patients in group 2 required repeat vitrectomy: two to treat a macular hole, one for peripheral retinal holes with retinal detachment.

CONCLUSION

In our cohort, PPV with gas tamponade proved to be an effective first-line treatment for ODP-M. Additional ILM-peeling did not give a significant benefit in this study.

[Macular changes in optic disc pits-Optic disc pit maculopathy (ODP-M) : Pathophysiology and possibilities of surgical treatment]

An optic disc pit is a rare congenital abnormality of the optic nerve, which in most cases presents as a unilateral finding. Clinically, a greyish oval excavation is seen, most commonly on the temporal side of the optic nerve disc. The optic disc pit alone normally does not lead to substantial symptoms or functional limitations; however, when a maculopathy with intraretinal and/or subretinal fluid and additional other morphological changes in the macula occur, this leads to a decrease in visual acuity. With spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) it is possible to identify the various forms of expression, which show different natural courses. Especially the presence of subretinal fluid and defects in the outer retinal layers have a poor prognosis and have the highest risk for further deterioration. Spontaneous resolution can occur but is rare. Observation is recommended in the first step. In cases of progression or pronounced deterioration, surgical intervention is indicated. Many different techniques have been proposed but there is no gold standard at the moment. Most of the surgical approaches comprise pars plana vitrectomy with peeling of the internal limiting membrane (ILM) and gas endotamponade. Newer methods, such as the ILM flap technique also show good results. Generally, it is important to know that postoperative healing and resorption of the fluid often take a long time period of up to 1 year or even longer.