BACKGROUND: To report the outcome of consecutive patients treated with verteporfin photodynamic therapy in which the treatment zone overlapped the optic nerve. METHODS: Retrospective interventional case series with chart review of seven patients with peripapillary choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration treated with standard-dose verteporfin photodynamic therapy. RESULTS: The first of seven patients had excellent visual outcome with visual acuity measurement improved from 20/80 to 20/20 at 6 months post-treatment which remained stable for over 2 years. All remaining patients had improvement of visual acuity with resolution of peripapillary hemorrhage. Only two of the seven patients required more than one treatment with verteporfin photodynamic therapy. CONCLUSION: Peripapillary choroidal neovascular membranes can be successfully treated with standard-dose verteporfin photodynamic therapy, often with resolution of neovascularization with one treatment. There was no evidence of optic nerve damage from the intervention.
BACKGROUND: To report the outcome of consecutive patients treated with verteporfin photodynamic therapy in which the treatment zone overlapped the optic nerve. METHODS: Retrospective interventional case series with chart review of seven patients with peripapillary choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration treated with standard-dose verteporfin photodynamic therapy. RESULTS: The first of seven patients had excellent visual outcome with visual acuity measurement improved from 20/80 to 20/20 at 6 months post-treatment which remained stable for over 2 years. All remaining patients had improvement of visual acuity with resolution of peripapillary hemorrhage. Only two of the seven patients required more than one treatment with verteporfin photodynamic therapy. CONCLUSION:Peripapillary choroidal neovascular membranes can be successfully treated with standard-dose verteporfin photodynamic therapy, often with resolution of neovascularization with one treatment. There was no evidence of optic nerve damage from the intervention.