These can be seen as the body’s attempts at repair, but these new blood vessels (neovascularisation) are weak, can spread to form a membrane and can threaten the vision.
Diagnosis of PIC can be difficult because the appearance may be similar to other conditions and types of posterior uveitis, especially other forms of the so-called white dot syndromes.
The diagnosis is made by eliminating all the other possibilities by careful examination by an experienced ophthalmologist, aided with visual field testing and Fluorescein angiography (an intravenous dye used to show the blood vessels at the back of the eye).
What happens with PIC depends a lot on the presence or absence of an important complication, Choroidal neovascularization (known as CNV).
2-pronged approach: Treatment is not always necessary and observation may be appropriate for lesions if they are found in non-sight threatening areas (that is not centrally).
Active lesions of PIC can be treated with corticosteroids taken systemically (tablets) or regionally by injections around the eye (periorbital).
The current evidence supporting the use of anti-VEGF agents is based on retrospective case studies and could not be described as strong.
However, further data from prospective controlled trials are needed before the therapeutic role of anti-VEGF therapy in the uveitis treatment regimen can be fully determined.
Thus, treatment of the underlying inflammatory disease should play a central role in the management of uveitic CNV.
This is because even if there is no active inflammation, there may still be occult CNV which requires treatment to avoid suffering vision loss.