Purpose: We examined whether photodynamic therapy (PDT) can prevent severe loss of reading acuity and further depression of the visual field in cases of predominantly classic subfoveal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration.
Patients and methods: Sixty eyes of 52 patients underwent biomicroscopy, assessment of reading and distance acuity, 10 degrees static threshold perimetry, distance acuity, and fluorescein angiography at baseline, after 6 weeks, 3 months and then every 3 months after therapy.
Results: After 18 months only 16.7% had lost more than 3 levels of reading acuity, 23.3% had lost less than 3 levels, 6.7% had remained unchanged and 53.3% had gained reading acuity, 18.7% of these more than 3 levels. 81.7% of the eyes lost less than 3 lines of distance acuity. 78.3% did not show any increase of the mean defect in the central visual field.
Conclusion: PDT can prevent severe loss of distance and reading acuity and further deterioration of the central visual field in about 80% of the eyes. The baseline reading acuity was poor and the patients should be aware of the fact that loss of reading acuity cannot be regained even after successful PDT.
Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel