Treatment of choroidal neovascularization in central serous chorioretinopathy by photodynamic therapy with verteporfin.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin in the treatment of patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).


METHODS
Open-label, two-center, noncomparative, prospective interventional case series.


METHODS
Consecutive patients with subfoveal or juxtafoveal CNV secondary to CSC were recruited and treated with a standard regimen of PDT with verteporfin. At regular 3-month follow-up examinations, re-treatment was considered if fluorescein angiography showed evidence of leakage. Outcome measures included the proportion of patients who had improvement (gained 2 more lines), stable, or loss (dropped in 2 or more lines) in vision at the final follow-up and the changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline.


RESULTS
Ten eyes of 10 patients were recruited into the study. The mean age of the patients was 57.3 years with a mean follow-up duration of 12.6 months. At the last follow-up, six (60%) eyes gained 2 or more lines of BCVA with four (40%) patients having final BCVA of within 1 line. No patient lost 2 or more lines of BCVA. The mean logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution BCVA improvement after PDT was 2.4 lines (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, P =.013). No patient suffered serious ocular or systemic complications from PDT.


CONCLUSIONS
Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin therapy is a safe and well-tolerated treatment in patients with CNV associated with CSC. A randomized, controlled trial with a longer follow-up period is warranted to further study the efficacy of PDT in the management of CNV secondary to CSC.
Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Hong Kong, Republic of China.
Wai Man
WM
Chan
Dennis S C
DS
Lam
Timothy Y Y
TY
Lai
Kenneth S C
KS
Yuen
David T L
DT
Liu
Carmen K M
CK
Chan
Wei Qi
WQ
Chen
D000368:Aged; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000077362:Verteporfin; D014792:Visual Acuity
D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin