Risk factors for severe vision loss immediately after transpupillary thermotherapy for occult subfoveal choroidal neovascularization
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John O Mason1, Cheri C Colagross, Richard M Feist
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama 35233, USA.
Background And Objective:
To determine risk factors for immediate severe vision loss in patients with age-related macular degeneration after transpupillary thermotherapy for occult subfoveal choroidal neovascularization.
Patients And Methods:
Retrospective review of 84 consecutive patients with age-related macular degeneration who received transpupillary thermotherapy for occult subfoveal choroidal neovascularization. Seven cases had severe vision loss and 77 were controls. All patients were treated with a diode infrared laser. Follow-up was completed on all patients 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment with transpupillary thermotherapy.
Results:
Pretreatment visual acuity ranged from 20/40 to 1/200. Seven of 84 consecutive eyes had an immediate visual acuity loss of 6 or more Snellen lines after transpupillary thermotherapy.
Conclusion:
Transpupillary thermotherapy has a small but significant risk of immediate severe vision loss in patients with age-related macular degeneration with occult subfoveal choroidal neovascularization. Statistically significant risk factors include a subretinal hemorrhage 5 disc areas or greater in size, 9 disc areas or greater of subretinal fluid, and a laser power greater than 550 mW.
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