Provide a valuable resource to your clients or customers by linking to this resource page. Just place the following link on your website.
Subretinal fibrosis is scar tissue that forms beneath the retina, often near the macula where central vision is sharpest. It commonly develops after abnormal blood vessels leak or bleed under the retina. The scar can disrupt retinal layers and leave lasting distortion or a central blind spot. Treatment aims to stop active leakage and limit further scarring, but established fibrosis usually does not reverse.
read more about subretinal fibrosis ...Subretinal fibrosis most often follows macular neovascularization, such as wet age-related macular degeneration. Persistent fluid or bleeding under the retina can trigger wound-healing pathways that lay down fibrous tissue. Similar scarring can occur after choroidal neovascularization from high myopia, ocular histoplasmosis, or inflammatory macular disease. Large subretinal hemorrhages can also heal with a dense scar even after the bleeding clears. The chance of fibrosis rises when disease activity lasts longer before control is achieved.
Symptoms often include wavy lines, warped shapes, or letters that look bent while reading. Central blur can worsen over time, especially if scarring involves the fovea. A fixed dark or gray spot can appear when the scar blocks light from reaching photoreceptors. Contrast sensitivity can drop, making faces and fine detail harder to see in dim settings. Symptoms can change quickly when active leakage or bleeding is present, so new distortion should be checked promptly.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is commonly used to show a dense, reflective scar beneath the retina and to measure any remaining fluid. A dilated retina exam can reveal a fibrotic plaque and related pigment changes in the macula. Fluorescein angiography or OCT angiography can help identify whether abnormal vessels are still active around the scar. Imaging is also used to separate fibrosis from other causes of a central spot, such as geographic atrophy. Tracking images over time helps confirm stability or detect new activity that needs treatment.
Management depends on whether the underlying neovascular process is still leaking or bleeding. Anti-VEGF injections are often used when active macular neovascularization is present, with OCT guiding follow-up timing. If inflammation is part of the trigger, treatment can include medicines that control the inflammatory driver under specialist care. Once a mature scar forms, care often shifts toward vision support such as magnifiers, stronger lighting, and reading strategies. Regular monitoring is still useful because new leakage can develop near a prior scar and can benefit from early care.
Often, yes. Disciform scar is a common term for a fibrotic scar that forms after macular neovascularization, especially in wet age-related macular degeneration.
Anti-VEGF treatment can reduce leakage and bleeding, which can lower scarring risk. Fibrosis can still develop in some eyes, especially when disease activity has been present for a long time before treatment starts.
No. Similar scarring can follow myopic choroidal neovascularization, inflammatory macular disease, or other causes of abnormal vessels under the retina.
Subretinal Fibrosis in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Current Concepts, Therapeutic Avenues, and Future Perspectives. PubMed Central (PMC). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8975778/. Date Accessed February 4, 2026.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration. EyeWiki. https://eyewiki.org/Age-Related_Macular_Degeneration. Date Accessed February 4, 2026.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration PPP 2024. American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/education/preferred-practice-pattern/age-related-macular-degeneration-ppp. Date Accessed February 4, 2026.
Risk of Scar in the Comparison of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatments Trials. PubMed Central (PMC). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3943618/. Date Accessed February 4, 2026.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration. American Society of Retina Specialists. https://www.asrs.org/patients/retinal-diseases/2/age-related-macular-degeneration. Date Accessed February 4, 2026.