Photodynamic Therapy for Choroidal Neovascularisation Secondary to Inflammatory Chorioretinal Disease

Introduction: To review the long-term outcome of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin for inflammatory chorioretinal disease with subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) over a 1-year period. Materials and Methods: Retrospective review of eyes with subfoveal CNV for associated choroiditis that were treated with PDT using verteporfin over a 1-year period. Main outcome measure: visual acuity. Results: Five eyes in 4 patients, with diagnoses including serpiginous choroiditis (2), ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (OHS, 1), and punctate inner choroidopathy (PIC, 2) underwent standard treatment procedure for PDT with verteporfin. Visual acuity, fluorescein angiography and treatment parameters were reviewed. Follow-up ranged from 12 months to 36 months (median, 36 months). Pre-PDT visual acuities ranged from 20/60 to 20/400 (median, 20/200). Post-PDT visual acuities ranged from 20/30 to 20/400 at 1 year (median, 20/300). Visual acuity was stabilised (within 1 line) or improved (greater than 1 line) in 3 eyes at 1 year and 4 of the 5 eyes at last follow-up. Conclusion: PDT for subfoveal CNV may stabilise, but rarely improves, visual acuity in eyes with choroidal neovascularisation secondary to inflammatory chorioretinal disease. Key words: Choroidal neovascularisation, Choroiditis, Photodynamic therapy, Verteporfin