High Myopia: Extended and Longterm Observation of Pathologic Myopia Patients With the Risk for Developing a Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization (CNV)

High Myopia: Extended and Longterm Observation of Pathologic Myopia Patients With the Risk for Developing a Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization (CNV)

This research project intends to observe patients with high myopia who show pathological retinal changes, in order to evaluate more data on the risk factors for developing mCNV within this research project population in Germany.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male or female caucasian patients ≥ 18 years of age

• Diagnosis of high myopia secondary to an anterior-posterior elongation of the bulbus confirmed by ocular examination in either eye using the following criteria:

  • Ocular ultrasonography or biometry demonstrating anterior-posterior elongation measurement ≥ 26 mm
  • abnormal change in retinal tissue by SD-OCT that are attributed to be caused by high myopia as shown in Table 4-2 of the protocol in the investigator's discretion confirmed by the reading centre

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with Diabetes mellitus of any grade
• Patients showing signs of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), e.g. drusen, characteristic changes in fundus (with shaping or extension of hemorrhages, fibrosis, exudative areas) in either eye
• Acute neovascularization (CNV or iris neovascularization) and intra- or subretinal fluid in either eye at the time of enrolment.
• History of inactive CNV in study eye. Inactive CNV of fellow eye is allowed if treatment was performed more than 12 months before enrolment.
• Any anti vascular endothelial growth factor' (anti-VEGF) or Verteporfin treatment in study eye and anti-VEGF or Verteporfin treatment less than 12 months before enrolment in fellow eye
• History of systemic anti vascular endothelial growth factor' (anti-VEGF) therapy
• Cataract that would prevent an accurate measurement of the axial length of the study eye

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply