Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a new treatment for Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).  According to an article in the October 1999 issue of Archives of Ophthalmology PDT with Visudyne can stabilize vision and significantly reduce the risk of vision loss in certain patients with the “Wet” form of AMD.  Patients treated with Visudyne were 34% more likely to preserve their vision than patients who were not treated.  This study, called the TAP study (Treatment of AMD with Photodynamic therapy) enrolled 609 patients to either receive treatment or placebo.  The investigators did not know which patients were receiving treatment or placebo.  After one year, the patients who were treated with Visudyne and PDT were more than twice as likely to have improved vision.

Central Carolina Surgical Eye Associates, P.A.
Case Eight : Treatment of Choroidal Neovascularization (CNV)   with Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
Pre-treatment color photo of left eye.	Pre-treatment fluorescein angiogram reveals choroidal neovascularization under the central macula (sub-foveal CNV)
Pre-treatment fluorescein angiogram taken five minutes post injection reveals intense leakage from classic and occult CNV	Post-treatment color photograph obtained two weeks after treatment with PDT.
Post-treatment red free photograph obtained two weeks after treatment with PDT.	Two week post treatment photo 20 seconds after fluorescein injection.  The area of treatment is dark indicating that the vessels in the CNV are closed.
One minute after fluorescein injection the area of vascular closure is localized.	Ten minutes post injection, the fluorescence fades leaving one area of hyperfluorescence at 9:00.
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