title: LASER RESENSITIZATION OF MEDICALLY UNRESPONSIVE NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION: Efficacy and Implications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Drug tolerance is the most common cause of treatment failure in neovascular age-related macular degeneration. "Low-intensity/high-density" subthreshold diode micropulse laser (SDM) has been reported effective for a number of retinal disorders without adverse effects. It has been proposed that SDM normalizes retinal pigment epithelial function. On this basis, it has been postulated that SDM treatment might restore responsiveness to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs in drug-tolerant eyes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subthreshold diode micropulse laser treatment was performed in consecutive eyes unresponsive to all anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs, including at least three consecutive ineffective aflibercept injections. Monthly aflibercept was resumed 1 month after SDM treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen eyes of 12 patients, aged 73 to 97 years (average, 84 years), receiving 16 to 67 (average, 34) anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections before SDM treatment were included and followed for 3 months to 7 months (average, 5 months) after SDM treatment. After SDM treatment and resumption of aflibercept, 92% (12 of 13) of eyes improved, with complete resolution of macular exudation in 69% (9 of 13). Visual acuity remained unchanged. Central and maximum macular thicknesses significantly improved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subthreshold diode micropulse laser treatment restored drug response in drug-tolerant eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Based on these findings, a theory of SDM action is proposed, suggesting a wider role for SDM as retinal reparative/protective therapy.
authors: *Private Practice, Ventura, California; †EyEngineering, Inc, Ojai, California; ‡Magnetus, Tustin, California; and §Malcolm Grey LLC, Phoenix, Arizona.
authors: Jeffrey K
authors: JK
authors: Luttrull
authors: David B
authors: DB
authors: Chang
authors: Benjamin W L
authors: BW
authors: Margolis
authors: Giorgio
authors: G
authors: Dorin
authors: David K
authors: DK
authors: Luttrull
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C533178:aflibercept; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor