Product information and disease description Place of product in therapy Approaches to treatment Current treatment options and standard of care

Photodynamic therapy and thermal laser photocoagulation

7 evidence topics · 5 sources

AAO Preferred Practice Pattern: role of verteporfin photodynamic therapy

“Although current practice patterns support anti-VEGF monotherapy for exudative neovascular AMD, verteporfin PDT remains approved for the treatment of subfoveal lesions and can be used in certain situations.” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)
“The DENALI and MONT BLANC studies (ranibizumab and verteporfin PDT compared with ranibizumab alone) did not show a significant benefit of adding PDT to anti-VEGF therapy in new-onset neovascular AMD.” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)
“However, the EVEREST study demonstrated that fewer anti-VEGF injections were needed in combination therapy compared with anti-VEGF monotherapy in eyes with the PCV variant of neovascular AMD.” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)

Verteporfin: FDA-approved indication

“VISUDYNE (verteporfin for injection) therapy is a photoenhancer indicated for the treatment of patients with predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration, pathologic myopia or presumed ocular histoplasmosis.” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)

Verteporfin photodynamic therapy: TAP trials

“Six hundred nine patients were randomly assigned (2: 1) to verteporfin (6 mg per square meter of body surface area) or placebo (5% dextrose in water) administered via intravenous infusion of 30 mL over 10 minutes.” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)
“At the month-12 examination, 246 (61%) of 402 eyes assigned to verteporfin compared with 96 (46%) of 207 eyes assigned to placebo had lost fewer than 15 letters of visual acuity from baseline (P<.001).” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)

Verteporfin photodynamic therapy: complications

“A severe decrease in central vision occurred within 1 week following treatment in 1% to 4% of patients, which may be permanent” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)
“Verteporfin is contraindicated in patients with porphyria or a known allergy or sensitivity to the drug.” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)

NICE guideline NG82: photodynamic therapy

“Do not offer photodynamic therapy alone for late AMD (wet active).” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)
“Do not offer photodynamic therapy as an adjunct to anti-VEGF as first-line treatment for late AMD (wet active).” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)

AAO Preferred Practice Pattern: thermal laser photocoagulation

“There still remains a role for laser photocoagulation surgery in eyes with extrafoveal and peripapillary CNV lesions as defined by the MPS.” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)
“The current trend is to use anti-VEGF agents in preference to laser photocoagulation surgery.” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)
“Thermal laser is no longer recommended for subfoveal MNV.” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)

Macular Photocoagulation Study: 5-year results for extrafoveal lesions

“In eyes with senile (age-related) macular degeneration as the underlying cause, the relative risk of losing six or more lines of visual acuity from the baseline level among untreated eyes (n = 117) compared with laser-treated eyes (n = 119) was 1.5 from 6 months through 5 years after entry (P = .001).” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)
“Recurrent neovascularization had been observed in 54% of laser-treated eyes by the end of the 5-year follow-up period.” (opens the source at this quote in a new tab)