Retinal pigment epithelium tears following verteporfin therapy combined with intravitreal triamcinolone.
OBJECTIVE
To detect patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who experience retinal pigment epithelium tears after initial verteporfin therapy combined with intravitreal triamcinolone during early follow-up.


METHODS
Prospective interventional case series.


METHODS
Forty-five consecutive patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in AMD were treated with verteporfin therapy combined with 4 mg of intravitreal triamcinolone. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), visual acuity, and fluorescein angiography were performed.


RESULTS
Two eyes with a predominantly classic CNV developed a retinal pigment epithelium tear. An early onset tear could be differentiated from a delayed onset tear. OCT showed an increased depth signal in areas of missing retinal pigment epithelium and a wavy, contracted, and elevated retinal pigment epithelium band.


CONCLUSIONS
Retinal pigment epithelium tears can occur despite adding intravitreal triamcinolone to verteporfin therapy. OCT shows characteristic changes in the evolution of retinal pigment epithelium tears after combination therapy.
Michels
Stephan
S
Universitätsklinik für Augenheilkunde und Optometrie, Medizinische Universität Wien, Wien/Vienna, Osterreich/Austria. stephan.michels@meduniwien.ac.at
Aue
Arne
A
Simader
Christian
C
Geitzenauer
Wolfgang
W
Sacu
Stefan
S
Schmidt-Erfurth
Ursula
U
D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000187:drug effects*; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000139:chemically induced*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077362:Verteporfin; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014822:Vitreous Body
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide