237
7. RPE Tears
RPE tears are serious complications of AMD and appear
during the evolution of a serous or serohemorrhagic
detachment of the epithelium. RPE tears also can be sec-
ondary to photodynamic therapy (PDT) and laser pho-
tocoagulation. Patients with occult CNV membranes
and pigmented epithelium detachments are at high risk
of developing pigmented epithelium tears.
6,8
OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY IN AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
Figure 9.
RPE tears, sudden disruptions in the continuity of the hyperreflectivity layer of the pigment epithelium, show strong
reflectivity from the choroid in the absence of the pigment epithelium, followed by sudden interruption of the band’s pigment
epithelial hyperreflectivity.
