Purpose: To study the safety and efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin in treating choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in young Japanese patients.
Methods: Ten eyes of 10 patients aged 50 years or younger with the diagnosis of CNV were retrospectively analyzed. CNV was of idiopathic origin in 8 eyes and of myopic origin in 2. Five eyes were treated with PDT. The visual, clinical, and angiographic responses and complications were investigated. Mean follow-up period was 33.2 months.
Results: The initial mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was significantly worse in the PDT treated group than in the non-PDT treated group (0.55 vs. 0.21, p = 0.029). The mean CNV size was significantly larger in the PDT treated group (1752 microm vs. 782 microm, p = 0.014). BCVA improved in 40% (2 eyes), unchanged in 40% (2 eyes), and worsened in 20% (1 eye) in both PDT-treated and non-treated groups. No significant complications were observed.
Conclusions: PDT seems to be a good treatment strategy in achieving a stable or improved vision for young CNV patients, even if they had very poor visual acuity at their initial visits. Further prospective studies are needed.