Objective To evaluate the association of subretinal hyper-reflective material (SHRM) with visual acuity (VA), geographic atrophy (GA) and scar in the Comparison of Age related Macular Degeneration Treatments Trials (CATT) Design Prospective cohort study within a randomized clinical trial. Participants The 1185 participants in CATT. Methods Participants were randomly assigned to ranibizumab or bevacizumab treatment monthly or as-needed. Masked readers graded scar and GA on fundus photography and fluorescein angiography images, SHRM on time domain (TD) and spectral domain (SD) optical coherence tomography (OCT) throughout 104 weeks. Measurements of SHRM height and width in the fovea, within the center 1mm2, or outside the center 1mm2 were obtained on SD-OCT images at 56 (n=76) and 104 (n=66) weeks. VA was measured by certified examiners. Main Outcome Measures SHRM presence, location and size, and associations with VA, scar, and GA. Results Among all CATT participants, the percentage with SHRM at enrollment was 77%, decreasing to 68% at 4 weeks after treatment and 54% at 104 weeks. At 104 weeks, scar was present more often in eyes with persistent SHRM than eyes with SHRM that resolved (64% vs. 31%; p<0.0001). Among eyes with detailed evaluation of SHRM at weeks 56 (n=76) and 104 (n=66), mean [SE] VA letter score was 73.5 [2.8], 73.1 [3.4], 65.3 [3.5], and 63.9 [3.7] when SHRM was absent, present outside the central 1mm2, present within the central 1mm2 but not the foveal center, or present at the foveal center (p=0.02). SHRM was present at the foveal center in 43 (30%), within the central 1mm2 in 21 (15%) and outside the central 1mm2 in 19 (13%). When SHRM was present, the median maximum height in microns under the fovea, within the central 1 mm2 including the fovea and anywhere within the scan was 86; 120; and 122, respectively. VA was decreased with greater SHRM height and width (p<0.05). Conclusions SHRM is common in eyes with NVAMD and often persists after anti-VEGF treatment. At 2 years, eyes with scar were more likely to have SHRM than other eyes. Greater SHRM height and width were associated with worse VA. SHRM is an important morphological biomarker in eyes with NVAMD.

Analyses of AREDS2 data on natural history of GA provide representative data on GA evolution and enlargement. GA enlargement, which was influenced by lesion features, was relentless, resulting in rapid central vision loss. The genetic variants associated with faster enlargement were partially distinct from those associated with risk of incident GA. These findings are relevant to further investigations of GA pathogenesis and clinical trial planning.

Purpose To compare long-term vision and anatomic effects of ranibizumab with prompt or deferred laser vs laser or triamcinolone + laser with very deferred ranibizumab in diabetic macular edema (DME). Design Randomized clinical trial. Methods Eight hundred and twenty-eight study eyes (588 [67%] completed the 5-year visit), at 52 sites, with visual acuity 20/32 to 20/320 and DME involving the central macula were randomly assigned to intravitreous ranibizumab (0.5 mg) with either (1) prompt or (2) deferred laser; (3) sham injection + prompt laser; or (4) intravitreous triamcinolone (4 mg) + rompt laser. The latter 2 groups could initiate ranibizumab as early as 74 weeks from baseline, for persistent DME with vision impairment. The main outcome measures were visual acuity, optical coherence central subfield thickness, and number of injections through 5 years. Results At 5 years mean (± standard deviation) change in Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity letter scores from baseline in the ranibizumab + eferred laser (N = 111), ranibizumab + rompt laser (N = 124), laser/very deferred ranibizumab (N = 198), and triamcinolone + laser/very deferred ranibizumab (N = 125) groups were 10 ± 13, 8 ± 13, 5 ± 14, and 7 ± 14, respectively. The dif-ference (95% confidence interval) in mean change be-tween ranibizumab + eferred laser and laser/very deferred ranibizumab and triamcinolone D laser/very deferred ranibizumab was 4.4 (1.2-7.6, P = .001) and 2.8 (−0.9 to 6.5, P = .067), respectively, at 5 years. Conclusions Recognizing limitations of follow-up available at 5 years, eyes receiving initial ranibizumab therapy for center-involving DME were likely have better long-term vision improvements than eyes managed with laser or triamcinolone + aser followed by very deferred ranibizumab for persistent thickening and vision impairment.

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Purpose-To evaluate vitrectomy for diabetic macular edema (DME) in eyes with at least moderate vision loss and vitreomacular traction. Design-Prospective cohort studyParticipants-The primary cohort included 87 eyes with DME and vitreomacular traction based on investigator's evaluation, visual acuity 20/63-20/400, optical coherence tomography (OCT) central subfield >300 microns and no concomitant cataract extraction at the time of vitrectomy.Methods-Surgery was performed according to the investigator's usual routine. Follow-up visits were performed after 3 months, 6 months (primary endpoint) and 1 year. Main Outcome Measures-Visual acuity, OCT retinal thickening and surgical complications.Results-At baseline, median visual acuity in the 87 eyes was 20/100 and median OCT thickness was 491 microns. During vitrectomy, additional procedures included epiretinal membrane peeling in 61%, internal limiting membrane peeling in 54%, panretinal photocoagulation in 40% and injection of corticosteroids at the close of the procedure in 64%. At 6 months, median OCT central subfield thickness decreased by 160 microns, with 43% having central subfield thickness <250 microns and 68% having at least a 50% reduction in thickening. Visual acuity improved by 10 or more letters in 38% (95% confidence interval 28% -49%) and deteriorated by 10 or more letters in 22% (95% confidence interval 13% -31%). Postoperative surgical complications through 6 months included vitreous hemorrhage (5 eyes), elevated intraocular pressure requiring treatment (7 eyes), retinal detachment (3 eyes) and endophthalmitis (1 eye). Little changes in results were noted between 6 months and one year. But we do not believe that any of these constitutes a financial conflict of interest for this manuscript. Conclusion-Following NIH Public Access Author ManuscriptOphthalmology. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 June 1. to those included in this study are likely to have improvement of visual acuity, while between 13% and 31% are likely to have worsening. The surgical complication rate is low and similar to what has been reported for this procedure. These data provide estimates of surgical outcomes and serve as a reference for future studies that might consider vitrectomy for DME in eyes with at least moderate vision loss and vitreomacular traction.