PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency, stability, and safety of transpupillary thermotherapy as a treatment of subfoveal occult choroidal neovascularizations (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration. METHODS: Transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) was performed in 40 patients with uni- or bilateral predominantly occult CNV. Laser light derived from an infrared diode laser at 810 nm was used to apply spots for a duration of 60 s. A complete ophthalmic examination was performed prior to and 9 months after the treatment. RESULTS: After 9 months, visual acuity remained stable in 65% (+/-2 lines). In 35% of the patients TTT could not prevent further visual loss. Retinal leakage, assessed by fluorescein angiography, stabilized in 67.5% of the treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: The present data show stabilization of visual acuity in 65% after TTT. Compared to the natural course of occult and mixed subfoveal CNV, these data give some evidence for patient benefit after TTT.
