Macular Hemorrhage Due to Age-Related Macular Degeneration or Retinal Arterial Macroaneurysm: Predictive Factors of Surgical Outcome

Objective: The study aimed to determine the outcomes and prognostic factors of vitrectomy, subretinal injection of tissue-plasminogen activator and gas tamponade in macular hemorrhage (MaH) due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or retinal arterial macroaneurysm (RAM).

Methods: The study design utilized a multicentric retrospective case series design of consecutive patients undergoing surgery between 2014 and 2019.

Results: A total of 65 eyes from 65 patients were included in the study. Surgery was performed after a mean period of 7.1 days. Displacement of MaH was achieved in 82% of the eyes. Mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved from 20/500 to 20/125 at month(M)1 and M6 ( < 0.05). At M6, BCVA worsening was associated with an older age at diagnosis ( = 0.0002) and higher subretinal OCT elevation of MaH ( = 0.03). The use of treat and extend (TE) (OR = 16.7, = 0.001) and small MaH fundus size (OR = 0.64 and 0.74 for horizontal and vertical fundus size, < 0.05) were predictive of a higher likelihood of obtaining a countable BCVA at M1. Baseline BCVA was predictive of postoperative BCVA ( < 0.05). Retinal detachment and MaH recurrence occurred in 3% and 9.3% of cases at M6.

Conclusion: MaH surgery stabilizes or improves BCVA in 85% of cases. Younger age at diagnosis, better baseline BCVA figures, smaller subretinal MaH height and use of TE regime were predictive of the best postoperative outcomes.