Assessment of macular function by multifocal electroretinogram in age-related macular degeneration before and after photodynamic therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate macular function, before and after photodynamic therapy (PDT) using multifocal electroretinogram (MF-ERG), in eyes suffering from classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) resulting from age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).


METHODS
Twenty eyes of 20 patients (10 male, 10 female) with classic subfoveal CNV resulting from ARMD were studied. All received PDT with verteporfin. Fluorescein angiography and mF-ERG were performed in each patient 1 day before and 1 week, 3 months and 6 months after photodynamic therapy.


RESULTS
Before treatment, visual acuity (VA) and electrical retinal response densities (RRD) in the foveal and parafoveal areas were low in all patients. The mean VA (ETDRS chart) before PDT was 24.35 (SD, 15). The mean RRD before PDT in area 1 was 4.39 nV/deg(2) (SD, 2.59) and in area 2 it was 2.11 (SD, 1.86). Six months after treatment, the mean VA was stable in 70% of the patients. However, the mean RRD after PDT was 2.24 nV/deg(2) in area 1 (SD, 2.59) and 1.07 nV/deg(2) in area 2 (SD, 1.59).


CONCLUSIONS
Multifocal ERG objectively evaluates the macular function in eyes with CNV attributable to ARMD. In this study, the stability of VA coincided with a clear impairment of electrical activity of the foveal and parafoveal areas. This finding suggests that MF-ERG should be adopted to assess the efficacy of PDT objectively in the treatment of ARMD.
Moschos
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Jules Gonin Eye Hospital, University of Lausanne, Avenue de France 15, 1004 Lausanne, Switzerland. moschosmarilita@yahoo.fr
Panayotidis
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Theodossiadis
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Moschos
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004596:Electroretinography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D013997:Time Factors