Full macular translocation versus photodynamic therapy with verteporfin in the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration: 1-year results of a prospective, controlled, randomised pilot trial (FMT-PDT)

Background The purpose of this study was to compare full macular translocation (FMT) with photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods In a prospective, randomised, non-masked, monocenter, pilot-trial, 50 eyes of 50 patients were assigned to either FMT or PDT. Baseline and control examinations in 3-monthly intervals over a 12-month period included standardized protocol refraction, visual acuity testing and fluorescein angiography. Primary outcome measurements were made to establish the change in distant visual acuity from the baseline to the 12-month examination. The statistical analyses were carried out on the intent-to-treat principle. Results The improvement of one or more ETDRS lines was 56% (14/25) of the eyes in the FMT and 16% (4/25) of the eyes in the PDT arm (P=0.007). Twenty eyes (80%) in the FMT and 16 eyes (64%) in the PDT group had less than three ETDRS lines of vision loss (P=0.35). Retinal detachment (six eyes) and diplopia (five patients) were recorded in the FMT group. None of the eyes treated in the FMT group had phtysis. Conclusion This pilot study showed that no statistically significant difference existed between the FMT and PDT in terms of the vision loss of less than three ETDRS lines in eyes with neovascular AMD. The chance of vision improvement was significantly higher for the patients in the FMT group. However, in the era of promising therapy with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor for neovascular AMD, FMT should not be offered as a standard primary procedure for neovascular AMD.