Diagnosing and Managing Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy

Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a distinct choroidal vascular disorder often considered a variant of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), although features such as drusen, pigmentary changes, and geographic atrophy are uncommon.

By
Giulia Gregori, MD
Jay Chhablani, MD
March 1, 2026
9 min

Retinal Physician

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Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a distinct choroidal vascular disorder primarily affecting middle-aged Black women.
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PCV is associated with risk factors such as smoking, male sex, obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and elevated inflammatory markers.
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Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) is the gold standard for diagnosing PCV, revealing branching vascular networks and polypoidal lesions.
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Recent advances in imaging have shifted diagnosis from ICGA to non-invasive methods like optical coherence tomography (OCT) with high accuracy.
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Current treatment options for PCV include photodynamic therapy, intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy, and laser photocoagulation.

Diagnosing and Managing Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy

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Original Source(s)

Diagnosing and Managing Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy

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