Photodynamic Therapy for Subfoveal Classic Choroidal Neovascularization Related to Punctate Inner Choroidopathy (PIC) or Presumed Ocular Histoplasmosis-Like Syndrome (POHS-Like)

Abstract

This nearly two-year follow-up study suggests that PDT could be helpful for patients with subfoveal classic CNV related to PIC or POHS-like.

CNVM in POHS

“…Forty patients were evaluated in a retrospective chart review, and those patients that received treatment developed almost a complete line of visual acuity improvement. Most of these patients did not have recurrence of the neovascular membrane [15][16][17][18]. Also, this treatment is effective even if a patient has had the surgical removal of the CNVM in the past.…”

“…This particular treatment involves an IV injection of verteporfin which concentrates itself in abnormal vascular structures. This tissue then becomes illuminated with a non-thermal laser source using the wavelength of peak sensitivity of verteporfin, causing irreversible cellular damage to this tissue and this tissue specifically [15][16][17][18]. The advantage to this particular treatment is that there is less collateral damage because the treatment area is more specific and less invasive.…”

“…The advantage to this particular treatment is that there is less collateral damage because the treatment area is more specific and less invasive. Also, there is no thermal energy applied to the eye [15][16][17][18].…”

Photodynamic therapy combined with systemic corticosteroids for choroidal neovascularisation secondary to punctate inner choroidopathy

“…14 The use of PDT in the management of subfoveal CNV in PIC has been reported by several authors. [9][10][11][12][13] A literature review reveals a total of 56 cases of CNV caused by inflammatory chorioretinal disease treated with PDT. Of these, 37 cases (66%) had PIC.…”

“…3 Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was first shown to be of benefit in the treatment of subfoveal CNV secondary to age-related macular degeneration 8 Since then, several positive reports on its use in treatment of subfoveal CNV secondary to inflammatory chorioretinal diseases have been published. [9][10][11][12][13] However, all these studies were retrospective reviews of a variety of cases including PIC, POHS, multifocal choroiditis with panuveitis, and serpiginous choroiditis. Some of the cases had been previously treated with laser photocoagulation or systemic immunosuppression before PDT was performed.…”