Real-World Insights From Diagnosis to Treatment in Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 Care

A panelist discusses how macular telangiectasia (MacTel) type 2 has moved from being a poorly understood retinal disorder to one with promising treatment pathways. They highlight that the condition, though traditionally labeled rare, appears more frequently in retinal clinics and may often go underdiagnosed due to subtle imaging findings. Advanced imaging modalities, particularly optical coherence tomography angiography, were emphasized for differentiating nonneovascular from neovascular forms and for detecting choroidal neovascularization. The conversation also addressed the limited results of anti-VEGF therapies in nonneovascular MacTel and modest visual gains even in treated neovascular cases. A major breakthrough discussed is NT-501, the first approved treatment for MacTel type 2, which preserves photoreceptors and slows disease progression. This development marks a pivotal shift in management, transforming what was once an untreatable condition into a more hopeful therapeutic landscape.