Abstract
Purpose: :
To determine the correlations between the changes in the central retinal sensitivity and the changes in the foveal thickness (FT) after photodynamic therapy (PDT) for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Methods: :
Nineteen eyes of 19 patients with CNV secondary to AMD were studied. The central retinal sensitivity within the central 2 and 10 degrees determined by fundus-related microperimetry, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and OCT-determined FT were determined. Fluorescein and indocyanine green fundus angiography was performed before and at 3 months after PDT. The pretreatment values of the retinal sensitivity, FT, best-corrected VA, and funduscopic findings were compared to the postoperative values at 3 and 6 months after PDT.
Results: :
At 6 months, the retinal sensitivity within the central 10 degree was significant improved (P = 0.02) and the FT was significantly reduced (P = 0.016). The VA, however, did not change significantly (P = 0.80). The changes in the retinal sensitivities were significantly correlated with the changes in the decrease in the FT (r = -0.49, P = 0.04 within the central 2 degree, and r = -0.59, P = 0.012 within the central 10 degree) at 6 months after PDT.
Conclusions: :
Significant improvements in retinal sensitivities within the central 10 degrees and the decrease in FT were observed even though the VA was not significantly improved. The measurement of retinal sensitivity by MP1 may be a better method to assess central visual function than the conventional VA after PDT. Thus, the retinal sensitivities measured by MP-1 may be more useful in assessing the effects of PDT for AMD.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • photodynamic therapy