Photodynamic therapy for choroidal neovascularization in stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa.
OBJECTIVE
To report the successful use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in three patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to retinal dystrophies.


METHODS
Three patients who presented for blurring of vision were found to have CNV on fluorescein angiography. Two patients had retinitis pigmentosa and one patient had Stargardt disease. They underwent standard regime of PDT.


RESULTS
Resolution of hemorrhage with improvement of visual acuity was seen in all three patients after one round of PDT. One patient required a second round of PDT because of the recurrence of CNV. Two patients were subsequently followed up for at least 2 years and 1 patient who defaulted after the 3 month follow-up showed no recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa are common retinal dystrophies. We report our successful treatment of CNV with PDT in two patients with retinitis pigmentosa and one patient with Stargardt disease. Despite the increasing use of antivascular endothelial growth factors drugs, standard treatments can still be applied to certain forms of CNV.
From the Retinal departments of the *Singapore National Eye Centre; and †Camden Medical Centre, Singapore.
Jacob Yen Chuang
JY
Cheng
Koh Hock Chuan
KH
Adrian