Objective: To determine the long-term effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and non-AMD in Thailand and to compare with the Treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration with Photodynamic Therapy (TAP) and Verteporfin in Photodynamic Therapy (VIP) study.
Material and method: The data of patients who received PDT between July 2003 and December 2004 and had completed two-year follow-up were prospectively reviewed. Treated eyes were classified into two main groups, the AMD (group 1) and non-AMD (group 2) groups. The AMD group was further divided into three subgroups, group 1A, AMD with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and TAP/VIP compatible if they followed the recommendation guidelines characteristics, group 1B, AMD with subfoveal CNV and TAP/VIP incompatible, and group 1C, AMD with non-subfoveal CNV. The main outcomes were visual acuity change, number of treatments and the comparison with the first year results.
Results: Of 56 eyes, 46 eyes (82.14%) had completed 24-month follow-up. Thirty-four eyes had CNV-related AMD and 12 eyes were non-AMD. At the 24-month follow-up, mean visual acuity change in group 1A, 1B, 1C were increased 0.25 (p = 0.13), 0.05 (p = 0.52), and 0.28 (p = 0.003), respectively. The total number of treatments in the first and second year was 1.8 and 0.1 in group 1A, 2.3 and 0.1 in group 1B, 1.5 and 0.25 in group 1C.
Conclusion: PDT was effective in Thai patients for the two-year follow-up even if they were not compatible with TAP/VIP criteria. The treatment demonstrated stabilization or less visual loss in long-term results.