Autofluorescence Imaging in Age-Related Macular Degeneration Complicated by Choroidal Neovascularization

Intact autofluorescence at the macula in early choroidal neovascularization correlates with VA, lesion size, and symptom length but not lesion type. None predict with any certainty the integrity of the outer retina. Our data suggest that the RPE/photoreceptor complex may be intact at the macula for several months in the presence of choroidal neovascularization, suggesting that VA might be rescued if treatment were effective in suppressing neovascular growth without damaging the RPE/retina complex, although this remains to be tested. It would be sensible to assess autofluorescence in treatment protocols to test this concept because it may be a marker for earlier disease and predict outcomes of treatment.