Verteporfin photodynamic therapy involving the optic nerve for peripapillary choroidal neovascularization

To report the outcome of consecutive patients treated with verteporfin photodynamic therapy in which the treatment zone overlapped the optic nerve.

Retrospective interventional case series with chart review of seven patients with peripapillary choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration treated with standard-dose verteporfin photodynamic therapy.

The first of seven patients had excellent visual outcome with visual acuity measurement improved from 20/80 to 20/20 at 6 months post-treatment which remained stable for over 2 years. All remaining patients had improvement of visual acuity with resolution of peripapillary hemorrhage. Only two of the seven patients required more than one treatment with verteporfin photodynamic therapy.

Peripapillary choroidal neovascular membranes can be successfully treated with standard-dose verteporfin photodynamic therapy, often with resolution of neovascularization with one treatment. There was no evidence of optic nerve damage from the intervention.