Successful treatment of retinal angiomatous proliferation by photodynamic therapy.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to describe a patient with retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) treated successfully by photodynamic therapy.

METHODS

A 74-year-old white woman was referred to our clinic for evaluation as a result of progressive decrease of vision in the right eye. Visual acuity was 20/100 in the affected right eye. The findings of fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography were consistent with a diagnosis of RAP, and cystoid macular edema was also revealed by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was carried out because of visual deterioration and localization of the RAP.

RESULTS

The RAP was treated with PDT, and an improvement in visual acuity to 20/60 was noted 4 months after treatment and 20/40 after 6 months. The resolution of the lesion was confirmed by fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, and OCT.

CONCLUSIONS

Photodynamic therapy can be effective for the treatment of RAP when it is associated with visual acuity decrease and is located near the fovea.