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Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Göz Hastalıkları Anabilim Dalı Purpose : To evaluate the efficacy of transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) for the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age related macular degeneration (AMD).
Method : Eight eyes of 8 patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization was treated. Of the patients, 6 were men and 2 women. Their ages ranged between 52 and 76, with the mean 66 years. Before and after treatment, all the patients underwent complete ophthalmic examination, their color fundus photographs were taken and fluorescein angiography was performed. Transpupillary ther-motherapy was delivered using a diode laser with a spot size of 3 mm. The duration was 60 seconds for one spot and the power ranged between 600-700 mW.
Results : Subfoveal choroidal neovascularizations were classic in six, and classic and occult in 2 eyes accompanied with hemorrhage and exudates.After TTT, hemorrhage spread in 4 eyes. Visual acuity was 0.1 in two, and ranged between cf 50 cmps-2 mps in the others. After 8.4 months follow-up, visual acuity decreased in 2 and unchanged in 6 eyes. TTT resulted in faster cicatrization of the KNV.
Conclusion : Transpupillary thermotherapy results in early closure of the subfoveal classic CNV with preserving the visual acuity. In order to determine the exact role of this treatment, and make comparisons, further trials are needed with large series of cases and with cases of occult CNV. Keywords : Subfoveal choroidal neovascularization, transpupillary thermotherapy, age-related macular degeneration