AIMTo review the outcomes of eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin and intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection.

MATERIALS AND METHODSWe retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of consecutive eyes with neovascular AMD that received an intravitreal triamcinolone injection within 1 week of their first PDT and had at least 6 months of follow-up. Eyes were retreated with PDT at 3-month intervals if angiographic leakage was present.

RESULTSTwenty-six eyes from 24 patients were identified. The mean visual acuity at baseline was 20/118 (median 20/112). The mean visual acuity decreased to 20/138 at 9 months (P = 0.24, n = 15) and to 20/174 at 12 months (P = 0.23, n = 8). The change in visual acuity from baseline was not statistically significant at any time point. The mean central foveal thickness by OCT measured 342 microm at baseline and decreased to 296 microm at 12 months (P = 0.31). Sixty-two per cent of eyes required no additional PDT at 12 months. Nineteen per cent of 26 eyes had a rise in intraocular pressure that was controlled with topical medication alone.

CONCLUSIONPhotodynamic therapy with verteporfin combined with intravitreal triamcinolone injection in the treatment of neovascular AMD may be superior to PDT alone by decreasing visual loss and reducing the number or retreatments.

Age Factors ; Aged ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; Female ; Humans ; Macular Degeneration ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Male ; Photochemotherapy ; Photosensitizing Agents ; therapeutic use ; Porphyrins ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Triamcinolone ; therapeutic use