ULTRASTRUCTURAL FEATURES OF SURGICALLY EXCISED IDIOPATHIC SUBFOVEAL NEOVASCULAR MEMBRANES

The ultrastructural features of three surgically excised idiopathic su bfoveal neovascular membranes were examined. Ultrastructural features of the cellular components in the membranes included retinal pigment e pithelium, endothelial-lined vascular channels, photoreceptor cells, m acrophages, myofibroblasts, glial cells, erythrocytes, and ghost eryth rocytes. Extracellular constituents included 200-nm to 250-nm collagen fibrils, 100-nm collagen fibrils and fibrin. The findings in this stu dy are consistent with previously reported findings of subfoveal neova scular membranes in age-related macular degeneration and the ocular hi stoplasmosis syndrome, with the exception of the presence of basal lam inar deposit in membranes from age-related macular degeneration.