Open AccessLong-Term Favorable Visual Outcomes in Patients with Large Submacular Hemorrhage
Author(s) -
Prashanth G. Iyer,
H. Logan Brooks,
Harry W. Flynn
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
clinical ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1177-5483
pISSN - 1177-5467
DOI - 10.2147/opth.s300662
Subject(s) - medicine , visual acuity , macular degeneration , ophthalmology , choroidal neovascularization , fluorescein angiography , vitreous hemorrhage , surgery , vitrectomy
Submacular hemorrhage (SMH) has been reported to be toxic to the retina based on animal studies. However, observational studies of patients with neovascular-related SMH and those treated with intravitreal anti-vascular growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy have shown many favorable visual acuity outcomes. We report two cases of neovascular-related SMH with ten or more years of follow-up. The first case was an 83-year old female with a history of nonexudative age-related macular degeneration in both eyes presenting with sudden decrease in vision (20/400) in her right eye due to a large SMH, treated with anti-VEGF therapy. Over the next following months, there was resolution of the hemorrhage and return of good visual acuity. At 10-year follow-up, visual acuity was 20/30 in the right eye. The second case was a 49-year old female with a history of presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS), presenting with sudden vision loss (20/400) in her right eye due to large, thick SMH. With observation and intermittent anti-VEGF therapy, there was resolution of the hemorrhage. At 30-year follow-up, visual acuity was 20/20 in the right eye.