Abstract
Purpose: :
To compare the therapeutic efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).
Methods: :
PDT or TTT was performed on 27 eyes of 26 patients with PCV diagnosed by fundus examination, fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography. Nineteen eyes were treated with TTT (TTT–group) and 8 eyes with PDT (PDT–group). The mean follow–up time was 30.9 months in the TTT–group and 9.8 months in the PDT–group. The mean number of treatments was 1.7 in the TTT–group and 1.5 in the PDT–group. The best–corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in logMAR units and OCT–determined foveal thickness (FT) were evaluated before, and 1, 3 and 6 months after treatment.
Results: :
The mean BCVA was significantly decreased in the TTT–group at 6 months after treatment (P=0.033) while the mean BCVA in the PDT–group was improved at 6 months after treatment but not significantly better than the preoperative VA (P=0.058). The mean FT was decreased significantly at 6 months in the PDT–group (P=0.006), but no significant change was found in the TTT–group. A vitreous hemorrhage was observed postoperatively in 2 eyes in the TTT–group.
Conclusions: :
In the TTT–group, the BCVA was significantly decreased and the FT was not changed significantly after treatment. In the PDT group, the BCVA was maintained and the FT was significantly decreased after treatment. These results suggest that PDT may be more effective than TTT for PCV.
Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: outcomes/complications • photodynamic therapy • age-related macular degeneration