title: Photodynamic therapy in highly myopic eyes with choroidal neovascularization: 5 years of follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of choroidal neovascularization associated with pathologic myopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five-year retrospective study of 43 consecutive eyes of 36 patients with juxtafoveal or subfoveal choroidal neovascularization and pathologic myopia treated with photodynamic therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean best-corrected visual acuity changed from 20/125 +1 letter (0.78 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) at baseline to 20/100 (0.70 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) at 5 years (P = 0.122). Final best-corrected visual acuity improved in 53.5% of the eyes, remained stable in 11.6%, and decreased in 34.9%. A visual acuity gain of ≥3 lines occurred in 32.6% of the eyes, and a visual acuity decrease of ≥3 lines was registered in 20.9% of the cases at 5 years. Only patient's age and initial visual acuity showed to have a significant predictive value for the final visual acuity outcome (P = 0.024 and P = 0.002, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin may increase the chance of stabilizing and improving vision in patients with choroidal neovascularization from pathologic myopia at 5 years. Better results were found in younger patients (<55 years).
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. andrecoutinho1@sapo.pt
authors.forename: André M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.forename: Rufino M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Sandrina G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cachulo
authors.forename: João P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Figueira
authors.forename: Joaquim N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Murta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000077362:Verteporfin; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin