Subthreshold transpupillary thermotherapy for subfoveal occult choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the long term outcome of patients with subfoveal, occult choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treated with subthreshold transpupillary thermotherapy.


METHODS
82 eyes of 82 consecutive patients with subfoveal occult CNV secondary to AMD were treated with subthreshold transpupillary thermotherapy. Best corrected visual acuity, fundus photography, fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography were performed.


RESULTS
All patients have been followed for at least 24 months. At the final follow-up visit, 75.6% of patients had stable or improved visual acuity and 24.4% had worsened visual acuity. No overtreatment side effects were found.


CONCLUSIONS
Subthreshold transpupillary thermotherapy seems effective in stabilizing visual acuity in patients affected by occult, subfoveal CNV even on a long-term basis.
Midena
Edoardo
E
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. edoardo.midena@unipd.it
Pilotto
Elisabetta
E
Radin
Pietro Paolo
PP
Convento
Enrica
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011680:Pupil; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity