1Nestler A., 1Wild F., 2Woodworth T., 2Carter W., 1Reichel M. B., 1Wolf S.

1Klinik und Poliklinik für Augenheilkunde, Universität Leipzig, Liebigstraße 10-14, 04109 Leipzig; 2Pfizer Global Research and Development, Eastern Point Road, Groton, CT, USA

Objective: The knowledge of the natural history of occult CNV including associated angiographic changes is important for the evaluation of new therapeutic strategies in exudative AMD.
Patients and Methods: In a prospective study we included patients with occult CNV secondary to AMD. Inclusion criteria were visual acuity of 20/80 or better, presence of exudative AMD with an occult CNV and no other ocular disease that causes visual loss. Examinations included measurement of visual acuity using the ETDRS-charts, binocular ophthalmoscopy, fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope (HRA) and color fundus photography. All examinations were performed at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months thereafter. We assessed the size of the lesion and the corrected fluorescence intensity using the Heidelberg Eye Explorer
Results: Sixty patients (32 female, 28 male) were included into the study. the mean age was 71 ± 8 years. Visual acuity ranged from 20/80 to 20/20 at baseline. After six months 13 patients had experienced a moderate loss of central vision (³3 ETDRS lines) and one patient a severe visual loss (³6 ETDRS lines). At the twelve months follow-up visit three additional patients had experienced a moderate visual loss, visual acuity ranged from HM to 20/20. All patients with loss of visual acuity showed a significant increase of lesion size and fluorescence intensity.
Conclusion: Loss of visual acuity was associated with significant increase in lesion size and fluorescence intensity. These measurements may be useful for the support of clinical trials.

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