Optometry Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Optometry, including details on myopia, optometric practice, therapy.

Retinal pigment epithelium tears following verteporfin therapy combined with intravitreal triamcinolone.

Michels S, Aue A, Simader C, Geitzenauer W, Sacu S, Schmidt-Erfurth U

Universitätsklinik für Augenheilkunde und Optometrie, Medizinische Universität Wien, Wien/Vienna, Osterreich/Austria. stephan.michels@meduniwien.ac.at

PURPOSE: To detect patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who experience retinal pigment epithelium tears after initial verteporfin therapy combined with intravitreal triamcinolone during early follow-up. DESIGN: Prospective interventional case series. METHODS: Forty-five consecutive patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in AMD were treated with verteporfin therapy combined with 4 mg of intravitreal triamcinolone. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), visual acuity, and fluorescein angiography were performed. RESULTS: Two eyes with a predominantly classic CNV developed a retinal pigment epithelium tear. An early onset tear could be differentiated from a delayed onset tear. OCT showed an increased depth signal in areas of missing retinal pigment epithelium and a wavy, contracted, and elevated retinal pigment epithelium band. CONCLUSIONS: Retinal pigment epithelium tears can occur despite adding intravitreal triamcinolone to verteporfin therapy. OCT shows characteristic changes in the evolution of retinal pigment epithelium tears after combination therapy.

Published 6 February 2006 in Am J Ophthalmol, 141(2): 396-398.
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