A long-term study of photodynamic therapy with verteporfin for choroidal neovascularization at the edge of chorioretinal atrophy in pathologic myopia.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To evaluate the effects of verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT) on choroidal neovascularization (CNV) at the edge of chorioretinal atrophy in eyes with pathologic myopia.

PROCEDURES:

Twenty eyes of 20 consecutive patients were treated according to Verteporfin in Photodynamic Therapy criteria. The patients were divided into 3 groups based on CNV location and were followed up with clinical and fluorescein angiographic examinations to evaluate visual acuity (VA) changes and number of treatments.

RESULTS:

The mean follow-up was 35 months. In group 1 (n = 8; subfoveal CNV), VA declined from 20/73 (0.56 ± 0.26 logMAR) to 20/115 (0.76 ± 0.30 logMAR; p = 0.192). In group 2 (n = 6; juxtafoveal CNV), VA improved from 20/69 (0.54 ± 0.25 logMAR) to 20/46 (0.36 ± 0.16 logMAR; p = 0.176). In group 3 (n = 6; extrafoveal CNV), VA worsened from 20/50 (0.40 ± 0.21 logMAR) to 20/91 (0.66 ± 0.49 logMAR; p = 0.292).

CONCLUSIONS:

PDT showed inhibitory effects on myopic CNV arising at the edge of chorioretinal atrophy, especially in young adult myopic eyes with juxtafoveal neovascular membranes.

• Authors: Alfredo Pece, Paolo Milani, Vincenzo Isola, Luisa Pierro
• Journal: Ophthalmologica. Journal international d'ophtalmologie. International journal of ophthalmology. Zeitschrift fur Augenheilkunde (Ophthalmologica) Vol. 225 Issue 3 Pg. 161-8 ( 2011) ISSN: 1423-0267 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 21212705 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Photosensitizing Agents
• Porphyrins
• Verteporfin

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Atrophy
• Choroidal Neovascularization (diagnosis, drug therapy, etiology)
• Female
• Fluorescein Angiography
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Myopia, Degenerative (complications)
• Photochemotherapy
• Photosensitizing Agents (therapeutic use)
• Porphyrins (therapeutic use)
• Prospective Studies
• Refraction, Ocular (physiology)
• Retina (pathology)
• Tomography, Optical Coherence
• Verteporfin
• Visual Acuity (physiology)