Choroidal Neovascularization

What I haven't found is any information that states what happens to my eye if I don't get the avastin shots or the PDT. Does anyone here know? In my case, I think it's genetic as since the diagnosis I found out there is a history of macular degeneration on both sides of my family ( a double whammy).
The thing that scares me most is whether my left eye stays healthy. I just turned 40 and have a 2-year-old son and a baby due in June. I really just want to be able continue working to support my family and see my kids grow. Is there any information out there about the percentage of people who get CNV in the other eye after it begins in one eye? As of a couple of days ago, my left eye was completely normal.
Also, no one here has mentioned nutrition. Vitamins A and C along with Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Zinc have all been linked to maintaining healthy eyes in studies. I would recommend everyone worried about their eyes to check into this. I take a Lutein supplement every day (10 grams) and have been eating more carrots (Vit A) and leafy green vegetables such as spinach (which are rich in Lutein). I also eat wolfberries, a small orange fruit that has Zeaxanthin and Lutein.

Hi Everyone,

Like many of the other posters here, I was also diagnosed with idiopathic CNV (my right eye) in April 2009. I had an avastin injection within 2 days of the diagnosis and another about 4 weeks later. About a week after the first injection I noticed an improvement in my vision, however it started to get worse about 6 weeks after the second injection. I was fearful of doing more injections since it is a relatively new treatment and no one knows if there will be any long-term side effects. In October 2009, I saw a different eye doctor who recommended not doing anything and seeing how it goes. I have also seen a tradition Chinese medicine doctor who has prescribed a big mix of herbs. This doctor treats it as though it's a circulation problem.
In February 2011, I saw my original doctor and he is now considering PDT (which based on everything I've read, I definitely don't want to do) as there is still some leaking and also scar tissue.

A Plea for help:
A 5 year old boy was recently diagnosed with Bilateral Choroidal Osteoma. He has lost vision in his right eye and is loosing vision in the left eye as well. His left eye's vision deretiorated from 20/30 two months ago to 20/50 in two months. Apparently there is no treatment for Choroidal Osteoma. We are under great supervision at a Los Angeles hospital, however, I feel the need for additional research.
Hope you can help:
1. Are you aware of treatment for Choroidal Osteoma, C.O.?
2. If not, are you aware of anyone who may know/has treated C.O. patients long term?
3. Is there a Retinal Experts network this questions can be posted to?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Thank and Best Regards,

I work for a retinal practice and a few updates. Photodynamic therapy was the first attempt at treatment for CNV (also referred to as SRNVM - Sub-Retinal NeoVascular Membrane). Most have abandoned that therapy (with a few exceptions) as the newer intra-ocular drugs have proven to be a safer & more effective therapy. Currently 3 main drugs are used - Macugen, Avastin, & Lucentis.
These drugs are in a class called VEGF(Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) Inhibitors. VEGF is the substance that triggers new blood vessel growth.
Macugen, the first approved drug is used in what is known as 'classic' or predominately classic cases - most retina doctors I work with (out of 9 total) use this drug the least amount by a large margin. The other two drugs are Avastin and Lucentis which are both manufactured by the same company (Genentech). Initially developed to treat colon cancer it was discovered that the mechanism was very similar in the eye and trials began. Lucentis and avastin are nearly the same drug. The basic difference is that in Avastin , a tiny section of the molecule has been 'cleaved' leaving something very similar but not quite the same as Lucentis. The biggest difference is cost. Lucentis wholesales at about $2000 per dose (usualy a series of injections are given 4-6 weeks apart)while avastin is about $50 per dose. As a result Genentech have not done the required studies to get avastin approved. Many physicians find the results of the two to be equal and some even prefer avastin over lucentis. Genentech also tried to limit access to avastin but a minor physician revolt put a stop to that.
As a result of genentech not doing the research needed but Avastin seeming to do as good a job, for the first time ever in the United States, Medicare (the govt.) covers/pays for the unapproved drug Avastin. Independent studies are under way to compare the to head to head and preliminary results are very promising.
The goal with all the new drugs is to halt or regress new blood vessel growth. Most success rates I have seen are about 80%-90% effective. About 30%-40% of people experience an increase in vision but this is a secondary benefit.

My 9 year old daugther was just diagnosed with idiopathic chorodial neovascularization. Can someone explain the idiopathic part?

Does anyone have any idea of possible causes in such a young patient?

My father, 85 years old, had CNV some 5 months ago, he had his 3 course eye injection treatment with Lucentis, he also had one laser session. However the CNV reappeared some 2 months after the course ended. Now he has had his 4th lucentis injection but at his age he finds the injection process difficult to bear. A local opthalmologist who examined him with a hand held auto keratometer informed us that lucentis is now obsolete treatment for CNV and stem cell transplanation is more current, more permanent and less invasive and painful. Has anyone heard of stem cell transplantation as treatmwent for CNV and any comments on the side effects and success rate?

My daughter was diagnosis with idiopathic CNV at 12 years old, she had laser surgery, Vitrectomy/membrane peel at Stanford in hopes of halting the progression which it seems to have done, her checkups were eventually prn, as she would see an opthmalogist regularly. No changes until just tonight she called from college and said she is noticing the the same symptoms in her "good" eye. So I am scheduling appointments now, any updates on effectiveness of injection treatment? anything specific I should inquire about that anyone know about, I would appreciate any advice, in the mean time I will be busy researching for any new answers.

My Aunt has received many injections and has had no improvement, she is 68 years old and was diagnoised with this condition in one eye, they have now told her that her only option is to remove the eye due to the blood vessels that continue to grow and they're concerned for her healthy eye. Is this true? Thank you, Chris

I was just diagnosed a few days ago with CNV in one eye and will have an initial Lucentis injection next week. If the injection doesn't work, what's the next step ?

You may already know this, but... there IS a treatment for this condition. My mother in law, who lives in Raleigh, NC, has this same problem in one eye. Her doctor is giving her injections, directly into the eye. It is DISSOLVING the vascularization. Best wishes!