Prognostic factors influencing visual outcome of photodynamic therapy for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization in pathologic myopia.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the influence of age, lesion size, degree of myopia, and baseline visual acuity on the visual outcome of patients with pathologic myopia and choroidal neovascularization (CNV) who received photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin.


METHODS
Retrospective, noncomparative consecutive case series.


METHODS
Forty-three eyes of 41 patients were treated in a two-year time span; 36 eyes of 36 patients who had received PDT for CNV due to pathologic myopia were examined for the above-mentioned factors 24 months after first treatment. All patients had been treated according to the Verteporfin in Photodynamic Therapy (VIP) study criteria. Patients were examined in two- to three-month intervals with Snellen visual acuity, biomicroscopy, and fluorescein angiography.


RESULTS
Baseline visual acuity and age were both prognostic factors for visual outcome (P =.0097, P =.0055). Lesion size (greatest linear dimension) at baseline, refractive error, or the number of treatments had no influence on the outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Age and baseline visual acuity have an effect on visual outcome in patients receiving PDT due to CNV secondary to pathologic myopia. Younger patients and patients with higher baseline visual acuity had a better treatment outcome.
Ergun
Erdem
E
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Vienna Medical School, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. erdem.ergun@meduinwien.ac.at
Heinzl
Harald
H
Stur
Michael
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000077362:Verteporfin; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*
D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin