title: An update on photodynamic therapy in age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible loss of central vision in people aged > 50 years in the western world. Until recently, the only proven treatment to reduce the risk of vision loss from its more severe neovascular form was laser photocoagulation, but this treatment was suitable for only 15% of cases. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin was recently proposed to be effective in reducing the risk of visual loss for an estimated 20 - 30% of neovascular AMD patients. This review covers AMD epidemiology, the mechanism of PDT, the 2-year results of the two major clinical studies of PDT with verteporfin, the cost-effectiveness of PDT and the current research status of other drugs for PDT in AMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Ehud
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rechtman
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Ciulla
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Criswell
authors.forename: Ayala
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pollack
authors.forename: Alon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077362:Verteporfin
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin