Wachtlin J., Behme T., Potthöfer S., Foerster M. H.

Augenklinik, Univ. Klinikum Benjamin Franklin, FU Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin

Backround: To date Verteporfin is approved in Europe and the US for the use in CNV patients with pathological myopia. There is some data about stabilisation and improvement of visual acuity in patients with CNV due to other conditions than AMD. This study examines the visual outcome after PDT with Verteporfin in patients with CNV due to other causes than AMD.
Methods: In a prospective study 33 patients with choroidal neovascularisations without age related macular degeneration underwent PDT treatment with Verteporfin. The diagnosis were as followed: 8 idiopathic CNV, 7 POHS (Presumed ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrom), 7 pathological Myopia, 5 CNV after chorioretinitis, 2 Angioid streaks, 4 others (2 choroidal rupture, VKH, unknown). The average age was 48.9 years (17- 76) and the mean follow up interval 6.8 months (sd = 4.8). 8 patients (25%) showed a recurrence of a pre-treated CNV. The median greatest linear dimension of the CNV was 1599 microns and an average of 1.6 treatments were given to the patients.
Results: The mean visual acuity improvement was + 0,3 ETDRS lines (-8 to + 5). 10 patients (30.3%) showed visual acuity improvement of = 2 lines, in 17 eyes (51.5%) visual acuity was unchanged (+/- 1 line) and 6 patients (18.2%) showed a decrease of = 2 lines.
Conclusion: In the majority of cases, the above mentioned disorders can successfully be treated with PDT in the sense of stabilisation or even improvement of visual acuity. Among the different diagnosis, POHS, idiopathic CNV, CNV after chorioretinitis and pathological Myopia showed markedly better visual acuity outcomes compared to those seen in AMD patients.

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