Photodynamic therapy outcomes in myopic CNV

Abstract

AbstractChoroidal Neovascularization (CNV) is a vision threatening complication of pathological myopia. Treatment modalities include thermal laser photocoagulation, surgical management, photodynamic therapy with verteporfin (vPDT) and Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors. The Verteporfin in Photodynamic Therapy (VIP) Study Group recommended verteporfin therapy for subfoveal CNV resulting from pathologic myopia based on 2‐year results of this randomized clinical trial, although the primary outcome was not statistically significantly in favor of verteporfin therapy at 2 years follow‐up. Since anti –VEGFs became available they have been used successfully in the treatment of CNV and promising results on their short‐term efficacy have been reported. Furthermore clinical trials comparing anti‐VEGFs with verteporfin therapy demonstrated superior efficacy of anti‐VEGFs. The reason to concern an anti‐VEGFs treatment is arising over their long‐term safety and efficacy. Recent reports on long‐Term inhibitory effects of PDT on myopic CNV arising at the edge of chorioretinal atrophy, in eyes with juxtafoveal neovascular membranes show that PDT remains to play a role in the management of myopic CNV.