BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin has been successfully introduced to treat choroidal neovascularisations (CNV) that have more than 50% classic CNV components due to exudative age-dependent macular degeneration (AMD) and other diagnoses. However, what is still unclear is if patients with recurrent subfoveal CNV who have had prior laser coagulation can also profit from PDT for CNV. METHODS: The course of visual acuity (ETDRS) and the fluorescein angiographic findings were retrospectively analysed after standard PDT of recurrent subfoveal CNV after prior argon laser coagulation of an extrafoveal or juxtafoveal CNV in AMD or other diagnoses. RESULTS: A total of 20 consecutive eyes from 19 AMD patients were evaluated. After 12 months in 14 of the 20 eyes (70%) deterioration in visual acuity of 3 or more ETDRS lines could be avoided and likewise in 7 of 16 eyes (44%) after 24 months. After the 1st year, 5 of the 7 eyes (71%) with recurrent subfoveal CNV after laser coagulation of a myopic, postinflammatory or idiopathic CNV had deterioration of visual acuity of less than three lines or an improvement in visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the low number of patients examined, we could see an indication for PDT in recurrent subfoveal CNV after prior argon laser coagulation of extrafoveal or juxtafoveal CNV. When the patient presented with a CNV cause other than AMD, a better prognosis for visual acuity was achieved.
BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin has been successfully introduced to treat choroidal neovascularisations (CNV) that have more than 50% classic CNV components due to exudative age-dependent macular degeneration (AMD) and other diagnoses. However, what is still unclear is if patients with recurrent subfoveal CNV who have had prior laser coagulation can also profit from PDT for CNV. METHODS: The course of visual acuity (ETDRS) and the fluorescein angiographic findings were retrospectively analysed after standard PDT of recurrent subfoveal CNV after prior argon laser coagulation of an extrafoveal or juxtafoveal CNV in AMD or other diagnoses. RESULTS: A total of 20 consecutive eyes from 19 AMDpatients were evaluated. After 12 months in 14 of the 20 eyes (70%) deterioration in visual acuity of 3 or more ETDRS lines could be avoided and likewise in 7 of 16 eyes (44%) after 24 months. After the 1st year, 5 of the 7 eyes (71%) with recurrent subfoveal CNV after laser coagulation of a myopic, postinflammatory or idiopathic CNV had deterioration of visual acuity of less than three lines or an improvement in visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the low number of patients examined, we could see an indication for PDT in recurrent subfoveal CNV after prior argon laser coagulation of extrafoveal or juxtafoveal CNV. When the patient presented with a CNV cause other than AMD, a better prognosis for visual acuity was achieved.
Authors: Kevin J Blinder; Mark S Blumenkranz; Neil M Bressler; Susan B Bressler; Guy Donato; Hilel Lewis; Jennifer I Lim; Ugo Menchini; Joan W Miller; Jordi M Mones; Michael J Potter; Constantin Pournaras; Al Reaves; Philip Rosenfeld; Andrew P Schachat; Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth; Michel Sickenberg; Lawrence J Singerman; Jason S Slakter; H Andrew Strong; Gianni Virgili; George A Williams Journal: Ophthalmology Date: 2003-04 Impact factor: 12.079
Authors: F Bottoni; E Perego; P Airaghi; M Cigada; S Ortolina; G Carlevaro; V De Molfetta Journal: Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol Date: 1999-07 Impact factor: 3.117
Authors: L Berglin; P Algvere; G Olivestedt; S Crafoord; S Stenkula; L J Hansson; Z Tomic; A Kvanta; S Seregard Journal: Acta Ophthalmol Scand Date: 2001-12
Authors: Sabine Aisenbrey; Bart A Lafaut; Peter Szurman; Salvatore Grisanti; Christoph Lüke; Ralf Krott; Gabriele Thumann; Julia Fricke; Antje Neugebauer; Ralf-Dieter Hilgers; Peter Esser; Peter Walter; Karl Ulrich Bartz-Schmidt Journal: Arch Ophthalmol Date: 2002-04