Choroidal neovascularization following laser pointer-induced macular injury: case report and overview

Abstract The purpose is to report a case of laser pointer-induced maculopathy and to describe its characteristics using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), further the outcome of treatment with intravitreal injections. A 35-year-old man presented with a 6-day history of central vision loss in his right eye (RE) after an accidental laser pointer discharge (wavelength of 532 nm). He underwent a full ophthalmologic examination, including SD-OCT, which suggested the presence of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV). This was not confirmed due to the unavailability of tools such as fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography and OCT angiography. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was inicially 20/400 in the RE. Thus, considering a presumed CNV, three intravitreal injections of bevacizumab (the first one combined with triamcinolone acetonide) were performed in the RE. BCVA acuity in his RE improved to 20/25 at 3 months after the first intravitreal injection, with complete resolution of exudation. Over the following 12 months, BCVA remained stable, and no evidence of progression or development of neovascularization was observed. Laser pointer may cause subfoveal CNV when accidently directed toward the eye. In this case, the presumed CNV induced by laser had an excellent response to bevacizumab and triamcinolone acetonide injections.