Treatment of juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization with photodynamic therapy using verteporfin in eyes with age-related macular degeneration.

To report the results of treating juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization with photodynamic therapy using verteporfin in eyes with age-related macular degeneration. Seven patients with predominantly classic juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization were treated by photodynamic therapy using verteporfin. Three of the 7 patients had a gain in visual acuity and 2 had a stabilization of vision. The remaining 2 patients had a decrease in visual acuity. Subfoveal extension of the choroidal neovascularization was not observed in any patient and all choroidal neovascularization lesions after treatment were found to be nonperfused on fluorescein angiography. The encouraging results based on this small pilot study suggest that photodynamic therapy should be considered for treatment of select juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration.