Lack of apparent short-term benefit of photodynamic therapy in bilateral, acquired, parafoveal telangiectasis without subretinal neovascularization

PURPOSE: To analyze the results of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in bilateral acquired parafoveal telangiectasis. DESIGN: Interventional cases report. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of visual acuity measured with ETDRS charts and of fluorescein angiography findings for two women in whom the eye with lesser visual acuity was treated by PDT for bilateral acquired parafoveal telangiectasis without subretinal neovascularization. RESULTS: Initial visual acuity of the treated eye was 20/63 in both patients and did not change significantly for 3 to 6 months after one session of PDT. Fluorescein angiography in both cases and optical coherence tomography in one case also appeared unchanged. No adverse effect has been observed. CONCLUSIONS: Photodynamic therapy was not beneficial for the outcome of these patients with bilateral acquired telangiectasis, because it improved neither their visual acuity nor their macular edema. (Am J Ophthalmol 2004; 13 8:892-894. (C) 2004 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.).