@article{3092875,
    title = "Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin of choroidal neovascularization in
angioid streaks: Conventional versus early retreatment",
    author = "Ladas, ID and Georgalas, I and Rouvas, AA and Gotsis, S and Karagiannis, and DA and Moschos, M",
    journal = "European Journal of Ophthalmology",
    year = "2005",
    volume = "15",
    number = "1",
    pages = "69-73",
    publisher = "Wichtig Editore s.r.l.",
    issn = "1120-6721, 1724-6016",
    doi = "10.1177/112067210501500111",
    keywords = "angioid streaks; photodynamic therapy; macular choroidal
neovascularization",
    abstract = "PURPOSE. To evaluate the effectiveness of conventional photodynamic
therapy with verteporfin (PDT) in a series of patients with macular
choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to angioid streaks and to compare
it to the effectiveness of early PDT retreatment.
METHODS. This is a retrospective study of 24 eyes (22 consecutive
patients) with subfoveal or juxtafoveal CNV secondary to angioid streaks
treated with PDT from September 2000 through February 2003 and that
completed at least the first year of follow-up. Until August 2001,
retreatments were performed according to the conventional protocol for
PDT every 3 months (Group 1, consisting of 11 eyes of 9 patients). After
August 2001 (13 more eyes of 13 new patients), retreatments were
performed earlier (every 8 weeks) when indicated (Group 2). The
follow-up time ranged from 30 to 42 months and from 12 to 30 months in
Groups 1 and 2.
RESULTS. At the end of the follow-up, final best-corrected visual acuity
decreased in 21 (87.5%), stabilized in 2 (8.3%), and improved in 1
(4.2%) of the total 24 eyes. In all, 19 of the 24 eyes (79.2%) had a
final best-corrected visual acuity equal to or less than 20/400. There
were not any statistically significant differences in final visual
acuity between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS. In this large series of patients with macular CNV secondary
to angioid streaks, the functional and the anatomic results of PDT were
not satisfactory, even when retreatments were performed earlier than the
conventional time of 3 months."
}