A retrospective pilot study of indocyanine green enhanced diode laser photocoagulation for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization associated with age-related macular degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
The effectiveness and limitations of indocyanine green (ICG) enhanced diode laser photocoagulation in treating subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were investigated retrospectively.


METHODS
Thirty-eight eyes of 37 patients with subfoveal CNV received ICG enhanced diode laser (wavelength, 805 nm) photocoagulation in our preliminary series. Nineteen eyes had classic CNV and the others had occult CNV, which was well-delineated on ICG angiography. The rate of anatomical success and functional outcomes were investigated. Factors prognostic of a final visual acuity of 0.1 or better were analyzed. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 51 months (mean +/- SD = 26.5 +/- 14.4 months).


RESULTS
Occlusion of CNV was achieved in 35 of 38 eyes (92%), and 7 eyes (18%) showed recurrence, which was occluded by retreatment in all but 1 eye. Ten eyes (26.3%) showed improvement of visual acuity; 16 (42.1%) showed no change; and in 12 eyes (31.6%) visual acuity deteriorated. Factors prognostic of a final visual acuity of 0.1 or better were good preoperative visual acuity (Mann-Whitney U-test, P =.0028), and a relatively short distance between the edge of laser burns and the center of the foveal avascular zone (unpaired t-test, P =.0285).


CONCLUSIONS
Indocyanine green enhanced photocoagulation achieved a higher anatomical success rate but functional outcomes equal to those with argon or krypton laser photocoagulation. A controlled prospective study is necessary to prove the efficacy of this treatment.
Obana
A
A
Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan.
Gohto
Y
Y
Nishiguchi
K
K
Miki
T
T
Nishi
S
S
Asada
A
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005584:Fovea Centralis; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000379:methods*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity
D007208:Indocyanine Green