Verteporfin therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration in Indian eyes.
OBJECTIVE
To determine visual outcome after a 12-month follow-up period of verteporfin therapy for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Indian patients.


METHODS
Twenty-five patients (26 eyes) who completed a 12-month follow-up after photodynamic therapy for subfoveal CNV secondary to AMD were included in the study. The follow-up schedule was every month for 2 months and then every 3 months thereafter until 12 months. Improvement in visual acuity was defined as a >or=10-letter gain, and deterioration as a >or=10-letter loss in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study chart at 4 m.


RESULTS
The mean age of the 25 patients was 62.3 +/- 9 years. There were 17 male patients (68%). The mean initial letter acuity was 28. 4 +/- 14.1, and the final letter acuity was 25.5 +/- 18.4 at 12 months. Initial visual acuity was >or=20/40 in seven eyes, 20/50-20/80 in nine eyes, and 20/100-20/200 in ten eyes; seven eyes had a >or=10-letter gain, and three eyes had a >or=10-letter loss. At the end of 12 months, six eyes had a >or=10-letter gain and ten eyes had a >or=10-letter loss.


CONCLUSIONS
Photodynamic therapy appears to preserve the vision in subfoveal CNV secondary to AMD in the eyes of Indian patients.
Hussain
Nazimul
N
Smt. Kanuri Santhamma Retina Vitreous Centre, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. nazimul@lvpei.org.
Das
Taraprasad
T
Smt. Kanuri Santhamma Retina Vitreous Centre, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Khanna
Rohit
R
ICARE, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Sumasri
Kallukuri
K
Smt. Kanuri Santhamma Retina Vitreous Centre, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Mohan Ram
Lakshmana Samudram
LS
Smt. Kanuri Santhamma Retina Vitreous Centre, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
D000368:Aged; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000077362:Verteporfin; D014792:Visual Acuity
D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin