Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To evaluate the clinical outcome of photodynamic treatment with Visudyne compared to the results of the TAP and VIP studies. Methods: In 80 consecutive patients, PDT with Visudyne (Verteporfin) was administered. The treatment has till now been completed in 28 with AMD and subfoveal CNV (27 predominantly classic and 1 which was 100% occult), 3 with Myopia, 3 with POHS, 1 idiopathic and 1 patient with CNV after retinochorioiditis. Mean age was 71.5 years (SD 14.7). Treatment was applied according to the recommendations of the TAP and VIP studies. The patients were scheduled for follow-up examinations every 12 weeks, including visual acuity (ETDRS-chart), biomicroscopy of the posterior segment (dilated) and fluorescein angiography (FA) and were retreated whenever FA showed signs of leakage from CNV. Results: To complete treatment, 3.4 sessions on average, were given in the AMD group and 2.4 in the other group (range 1-6). Mean visual acuity at baseline was 0.20. In 60% of the patients, visual acuity remained stable or increased by 3 lines or more on the ETDRS-chart. Final visual acuity was 0.11, on average. In 29% of the patients, final visual acuity was less than 0.1. Conclusion: Seventy-one % of the patients preserved a visual acuity allowing low vision rehabilitation without sophisticated devices. On average, fewer treatments than in the TAP and VIP studies were needed to stop leakage.
Keywords: 516 photodynamic therapy • 308 age-related macular degeneration