Non-Exudative Macular Neovascularization in Various Acquired Macular Degenerations with Double- and Triple-Layer Sign on OCT

Background/Objectives: To investigate the rate of exudative progression over time in patients with non-exudative macular neovascularization (NE-MNV) associated with various acquired macular degenerations presenting with a double-layer sign (DLS) or triple-layer sign (TLS) on optical coherence tomography (OCT), and to identify potential predictors of this progression. Methods: Fifty-one eyes of fourty-nine patients with a DLS or TLS on OCT images were identified. OCT angiography (OCTA) was performed to detect NE-MNV, and only eyes with confirmed NE-MNV were included in the final analysis. Central macular thickness (CMT), choroidal thickness (CT), morphology of the abnormal vessels, the duration of follow-up, progression to active exudative MNV, and the status of the contralateral eye were assessed. Results: The final analysis included 32 eyes of 30 participants with NE-MNV. The median observation period was 46 months. The causes of NE-MNV were age- related macular degeneration (AMD) in 59.38% of eyes, pachychoroid epitheliopathy (PPE) in 37.50%, and other causes in 3.12%. Exudation developed in 15.62% of eyes (median time to onset: 24 months), predominantly in the AMD subgroup. Abnormalities in the fellow eye were present in 59.38% of cases. Neither age nor other factors, including sex, cause of MNV, CMT, CT, MNV morphology, or fellow eye status, were statistically significant predictors of progression to active MNV (p = 0.67, p > 0.99, p = 0.62, p = 0.09, p = 0.09, p = 0.2, p = 0.62, resp.). Conclusions: NE-MNV is an asymptomatic condition that may occur in the course of various retinal diseases. While DLS and TLS demonstrate high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of NE-MNV, their presence does not always indicate concurrent MNV. Multimodal imaging is essential for accurate monitoring of these patients and detection of potential disease progression.