Fibrovascular PEDs indicate the presence of which condition?

Fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachments (PEDs) are significant indicators of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). They are often associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and may also occur in other conditions causing CNV. The presence of fibrovascular tissue in these detachments suggests an active process involving growth factors and neovascularization, which is characteristic of CNV. This can lead to potential complications such as vision loss due to fluid leakage and bleeding from the newly formed vessels.

In contrast, conditions like retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, and rhegmatogenous retinal tears do not directly imply the presence of fibrovascular PEDs, as they involve different pathological mechanisms and presentations. Retinal detachment typically results from tears or holes in the retina, while diabetic retinopathy is mostly characterized by retinal ischemia and vascular changes without the formation of fibrovascular PEDs. Rhegmatogenous retinal tears relate to breaks in the retina leading to detachment, again lacking the feature of fibrovascular changes.

Therefore, the connection between fibrovascular PEDs and CNV through mechanisms such as angiogenesis and membrane formation underscores why this choice is the correct response.