title: Risk factors for severe vision loss immediately after transpupillary thermotherapy for occult subfoveal choroidal neovascularization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine risk factors for immediate severe vision loss in patients with age-related macular degeneration after transpupillary thermotherapy for occult subfoveal choroidal neovascularization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of 84 consecutive patients with age-related macular degeneration who received transpupillary thermotherapy for occult subfoveal choroidal neovascularization. Seven cases had severe vision loss and 77 were controls. All patients were treated with a diode infrared laser. Follow-up was completed on all patients 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment with transpupillary thermotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pretreatment visual acuity ranged from 20/40 to 1/200. Seven of 84 consecutive eyes had an immediate visual acuity loss of 6 or more Snellen lines after transpupillary thermotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transpupillary thermotherapy has a small but significant risk of immediate severe vision loss in patients with age-related macular degeneration with occult subfoveal choroidal neovascularization. Statistically significant risk factors include a subretinal hemorrhage 5 disc areas or greater in size, 9 disc areas or greater of subretinal fluid, and a laser power greater than 550 mW.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama 35233, USA.
authors.forename: John O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Cheri C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Colagross
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Feist
authors.forename: Milton F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Martin L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Thomley
authors.forename: Rachel S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Vail
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McGwin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects*; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000009:adverse effects; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011680:Pupil; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity