Photodynamic Therapy with Verteporfin in Treatment of Wet Form ARMD – Long Term Results

Photodynamic therapy with Verteporfin (Visudyne - Novartis AG, Basel, Switzerland) is a method designed for treatment of the wet form of age-related macular degeneration. Effectiveness of photodynamic therapy with Verteporfin we approved on our department in group of 301 patients (114 males, 187 women) of average age 73.5 years with predominantly classic choroidal neovascular membrane in subfoveal localization in wet form of age-related macular degeneration. The follow up period in this group was from 6 to 36 month (mean 21 months). Patients with predominantly classic choroidal neovascular membrane underwent during the observation period from 1 to 5 treatments (mean 1.45 treatments). Mean best corrected visual acuity was before treatment 0.708 ± 0.24 logMAR. At the end of three-year observation period was the mean best corrected visual acuity 1.016 ± 0.36 logMAR. Best corrected visual acuity dropped during this time by 3.08 lines (15.4 letters) of ETDRS (early treatment diabetic retinopathy study) visual charts. Decrease of mean best corrected visual acuity less than 3 lines on ETDRS charts is considered as stabilisation. This goal was achieved in our group during observation period in 2/3 of patients.