Choroidal Neovascularization Due to High Myopia

Photo by Mufid Majnu

At about 8 months post surgery I returned to the retina clinic for scans, photos and an appointment with the ophthalmologist. My eye doctor informed me that my recent scans looked good compared to what they looked like before. I assumed he meant that they looked better compared to what they looked like when I first came to the retina clinic back in February. 

I looked over at my scans on the computer screen and I saw what appeared to be very visible blood vessels which, in my unprofessional opinion, looked abnormal, even for my already abnormal eyes. Just before I could ask about the scans my doctor told me that I have choroidal neovascularization (CNV) which are abnormal blood vessels that are growing behind the retina of my left eye. 

We discussed the distortion in my vision which had increased. The distortion and CNV was a concern for him because the newly formed blood vessels could cause serious issues such as re-detachment but he assured me that my retina was still good and attached so I shouldn't worry.

He also mentioned injections, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy and wondered if I would benefit from them. At the mention of the word "injections," as in sticking a very sharp needle into my eye while I'm fully conscious, made me feel very sick. I don't know what the expression on my face was but he laughed and said that I shouldn't worry because there was a possibility that the blood vessels would die off.
 

In the mean time I did my research on Choroidal Neovascularization:

CNV is the development of abnormal blood vessels in the choroid layer of the eye. The choroid is the layer beneath the retina. One of the dangers of CNV is that the blood vessels can break and leak blood into the retina causing vision loss. A chemical in the body known as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), causes the creation of the abnormal blood vessels. Anti-VEGF injections are used to stop the formation of the blood vessels by blocking the chemical. This treatment can go on for over a course of months.

From wikipedia -"CNV has also been associated with extreme myopia or malignant myopic degeneration, where in choroidal neovascularization occurs primarily in the presence of cracks within the retinal (specifically) macular tissue known as lacquer cracks"

Update: March 2018
During a drop-in appointment with one of the Fellows at the retina clinic I was informed that the blood vessels had indeed died away.