Translocation of the macula for management of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization: first results

Background: Subfoveal choroidal neovascularization is a main cause of blind ness. The new surgical technique of macular translocation conceived by De J uan, with scleral shortening and without a retinotomy, allows to move the f ovea away from the neovascular membrane with a low rate of complications. T he first results obtained with this technique are presented here, in cases of submacular neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration (A MD) or degenerative myopia. Patients and methods: The first 10 patients who were operated on with this technique presented with subfoveal neovascularization due to AMD (6 eyes) o r myopia (4 eyes). The time period between the beginning of the disease and surgery was less than 3 months. Before and after surgery, a complete exami nation included fluorescein and ICG angiographies and OCT. Results: Visual acuity improved by 2 lines or more in 6 eyes (60%), was unc hanged in 3 eyes (30%) and decreased in 1 eye. The improvement in vision se emed higher in myopia than in ARMD. Conversely, the mean foveal displacemen t was greater in ARMD than in myopia (1.2 disc diameter and 0.5 respectivel y). Laser photocoagulation has been performed in all patients after surgery . Main complications were retinal detachment (1 eye) and neovascularization at the site of transretinal injection (1 eye). Mean follow-up was 3 months . Comments: Macular translocation with the technique described by De Juan all owed visual improvement in more than the half of the eyes with subfoveal ne ovascularization, resulting in a moderate rate of complications. Long term follow-up is necessary to confirm these results.