Microrips of the retinal pigment epithelium in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

Purpose To study the clinical characteristics of microrips of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Design Retrospective case series. Methods For this study, we retrospectively reviewed 156 consecutive eyes of 136 patients with PCV. The lesions were examined with fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography. Results Of 156 eyes with PCV, 11 (7.1%) had microrips of the RPE at the margin of the pigment epithelial detachment. In the early phase of fluorescein angiography, the microrips showed pinpoint leakage from the RPE, which increased and pooled within the subretinal space in the late phase. Of the 11 eyes with microrips, the rip disappeared in 10 eyes (90.9%), and no eyes developed RPE tears during follow-up. The mean duration from the first detection of a microrip to resolution was 3.0 ± 1.6 months. Conclusions In eyes with PCV, microrips of the RPE are not uncommon, but have minimal clinical relevance.