Seres A., Süveges I., Papp A.

1st Department of Ophthalmology, Budapest, Hungary

Objective: to report our six-month result with photodynamic therapy (PDT) in 12 cases and to demonstrate the undesirable effect of cancellation of PDT re-treatments in the next six months.
Methods: 12 patients were PDT treated according to accepted guidelines in a three months period. The causes of choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) were age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 7 cases, myopia (1), uveitis (1), angioid streaks (1) and chorioretinal scar (2). For regulatory reasons, PDT re-treatments could not be done even if indicated for a 7 months period. Patients were regularly evaluated for far and near visual acuity, biomicroscopic and fluorescein angiographic appearance of the lesions.
Results: At 3 months, 5 of 7 (71%) patients had to be re-treated while only 1 of 5 (20%) in the non- AMD group. At 6 months, 2 of 7 (29%) AMD patients had severe visual loss while none (0%) from the non-AMD group. Our intention to re-treatment at 6 months was 6 of 7 (86%, 4 re-treatments could be actually done) and 3 of 4 (75%, done: 2) in the non- AMD group. None of our patients could be treated at 9 and 12 months. At 12 months, we intended to treat all but one (86%) of our AMD patients and all of our non- AMD patients. Severe visual loss occurred in 4 of 7 (57%) AMD patients and 1 of 4 (25%) non- AMD patients.
Conclusion: In this series, the 6 months outcome of PDT therapy was comparable to results of previous reports. Unfortunately, the lack of retreatments dramatically reduced the number of stable or improved eyes. PDT treatment should be always repeated when indicated.

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