Argon Laser Photocoagulation for Extrafoveal Neovascular Maculopathy

The Macular Photocoagulation Study (MPS) comprised three randomized clinical trials: the Senile Macular Degeneration Study (SMDS), the Ocular Histoplasmosis Study (OHS), and the Idiopathic Neovascularization Study (INVS). The goal was to determine whether, in patients with visual symptoms due to choroidal neovascularization outside the fovea (at least 200 microns from the center of the foveal avascular zone and a best corrected visual acuity of 20/100 or better caused by senile macular degeneration (now known as age-related macular degeneration), histoplasmosis, or idiopathic causes, argon blue-green laser photocoagulation prevents significant loss of visual acuity. Based on the study findings, the authors recommended that eyes with well-defined extrafoveal choroidal neovascular membranes should be treated with argon blue-green laser photocoagulation to prevent or delay significant loss of visual acuity.

A FBN1 variant manifesting as non-syndromic ectopia lentis with retinal detachment: clinical and genetic characteristics

Background/objectives Fibrillin-1 (FBN1) mutations cause connective tissue dysgenesis the main ocular manifestation being ectopia lentis (EL), which may be syndromic or non-syndromic. We describe a pedigree with a FBN1 mutation causing non-syndromic EL with retinal detachment (RRD) and their management. Subjects/methods Patients with familial EL with RRD were invited to participate (vitreoretinopathy branch of Target 5000, the Irish inherited retinal degeneration study). All patients signed full informed consent. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Mater Hospital, Dublin and abided by the Declaration of Helsinki. Results Seven adults were affected with bilateral EL. All subjects had RRD with bilateral non-synchronous RRD in 57%. Conclusions The FBN1 variant described herein confers an increased risk of both EL and RRD and can now be upgraded to ‘pathogenic’ ACMG status.