Follow-up of age-related macular degeneration patients treated by photodynamic therapy with optical coherence tomography 3

Background. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been described to effectively reduce or delay severe vision loss in eyes with predominantly classic form of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Optical coherence tomography 3 (OCT3) is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure which provides information about retinal thickness and volume at the posterior pole, as well as about the presence of certain structures under the retina. Methods. Prospective interventional study. Eleven eyes (9 patients) with AMD and CNV were treated with Verteporfin PDT. A complete ophthalmologic examination was performed. Fluorescein angiography (FA) and OCT3 scans were performed before treatment and 1, 2, 4, and 12 weeks after it. Results. Two different patterns of changes were observed. One group (7 eyes) showed changes in the amount of subretinal fluid (decrease, increase, and finally stable decrease), with a reduction in the CNV and the appearance of a subretinal band of hyperreflective tissue. The second group (4 eyes) showed little or no changes in retinal thickness, fluid, or reflectivity. Conclusion. Changes observed in OCT3 scans represent variations in retinal thickness, fluid, and CNV after PDT. OCT3 provides a useful tool in the follow-up and measurement of changes appeared in eyes with CNV associated to AMD after treatment with PDT.