Transpupillary Thermotherapy in the Treatment of Choroidal New Vessels in Age-Related Macular Degeneration – One Year’s Results

Overview

The aim of the study:
Authors refer to one year’s results of the study of 56 eyes of 50 patients with the exsudative form of the age-related macular degeneration treated by means of transpupillary thermotherapy at the Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Charles University, Hradec Králové (Königgrätz), Czech Republic, EU.

Patients and methods:
In all patients, the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before treatment was established. Beside the ordinary examination methods, the digital color photography of the fundus with topography of the lesion, fluoresceine angiography (FAG), or possibly indocyanine green angiography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed. After the treatment, in given intervals, the BCVA was established, and retinal findings were evaluated by means of biomicroscopic examination, comparative color photography of the fundus, optical coherence tomography, fluoresceine angiography, or possibly indocyanine green angiography.

Results:
During one year after the treatment, the visual acuity decreased by 2 or more lines on Snellen optotypes in 38.2 % of patients, remained stable in 52.9 %, and improved in 8.8 % of patients. The FAG findings improved in 83.9 % and the OCT findings in 84.8 % of patients. This improvement was statistically significant. In patients with classical choroidal membrane, the BCVA decreased in 35.8 %, remained stable in 57.1 % and improved in 7.1 % of patients. The FAG finding improved in 78.7 %, and the OCT finding improved in 90.8 % of patients. The improvement of the OCT findings was statistically significant. In patients with occult choroidal membrane, the visual acuity decreased in 45 %, remained stable in 45 %, and improved in 10 % of patients. The FAG findings improved in 88.9 %, and the OCT findings in 78.9 % of patients. The improvement was statistically significant.

Conclusion:
Our results show that transpupillary themotherapy belongs to important methods of treatment of the classical and occult membranes of the choroid in exsudative forms of the ARMD.

Key words:
age-related macular degeneration, new vessels of the choroid, transpupillary thermotherapy