PubMed ID: 11973247
Author(s): Ranson NT, Danis RP, Ciulla TA, Pratt L. Intravitreal triamcinolone in subfoveal recurrence of choroidal neovascularisation after laser treatment in macular degeneration. Br J Ophthalmol. 2002 May;86(5):527-9. PMID 11973247
Journal: The British Journal Of Ophthalmology, Volume 86, Issue 5, May 2002
BACKGROUND Laser treatment of extrafoveal well delineated choroidal neovascularisation in exudative age related macular degeneration has a high rate of failure with subsequent severe vision loss from subfoveal involvement. Laser treatment may limit scotoma size, but is unpalatable because of early persistent vision loss. Intravitreal triamacinolone injection may be an acceptable alternative therapy in such disparate cases.
METHODS 14 consecutive patients with recurrent neovascularisation were treated with a single 4.0 mg injection of triamacinolone and followed for up to 1 year. Visual results were compared with published data from the Macular Photocoagulation Study of recurrent neovascularisation.
RESULTS Mean visual acuity remained stable at about 20/200 throughout the study period in the treated patients. This is comparable to the outcomes in the Macular Photocoagulation Study for laser retreated patients, and better than the observation group.
CONCLUSIONS Intravitreal triamcinolone may be an acceptable treatment of subfoveal recurrent neovascularisation while avoiding early persistent vision loss from laser retreatment.