Transpupillary thermotherapy for occult choroidal neovascularizations

Purpose. This contribution describes the results of transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) for age-related exudative macular degeneration (AMD) with regression. Patients and methods. In exudative AMD with occult choroidal neovascularization (CNV), transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) was performed using a diode laser (Iridex) in unselected patients. Before therapy and 1, 3, and 6 months after the initial treatment the patients were examined clinically. Additionally threshold testing in the 10 degrees field (Humphrey) and fluorescein angiographies were documented at all check-ups. Results. With respect to vision, differences in the slope of the regression lines between small, medium, and large CNV were significant (p < 0.001). The slope of the regressions lines was significant except for small CNV. Regarding the 10 degrees field (Humphrey), there were no statistical differences in the slope of the regression lines (p=0.867). Conclusions. Transpupillary thermotherapy with small CNV did not show a statistically significant decrease of VA. Thus, in clinical terms early treatment of occult CNV with TTT seems to be able to prevent a further loss of visual acuity.