Color Doppler Imaging of Ocular Blood Flow after Combined Photodynamic Therapy with Intravitreal Triamcinolone in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effect of combined intravitreal triamcinolone and ocular photodynamic therapy on retinal and choroidal hemodynamics in age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: Intravitreal triamcinolone (4 mg, 0.1 cc) and photodynamic therapy with verteporfin were applied to 48 eyes of 33 subjects (25 male and 8 female; mean age: 68.9 years) with subfoveal choroidal neovascular membrane secondary to age-related macular degeneration. Patients were assessed for ocular hemodynamic parameters with color Doppler imaging 24 hr before and 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after a single-dose administration of combined intravitreal triamcinolone and photodynamic therapy.

Results: Throughout the study period, no significant difference in resistance index, peak systolic velocity, or end diastolic velocity existed in the ophthalmic artery (P  =  0.58, P  =  0.18, and P  =  0.19, respectively), the posterior ciliary arteries (P  =  0.73, P  =  0.19, and P  =  0.34, respectively), or the central retinal artery (P  =  0.09, P  =  0.32, and P  =  0.47, respectively).

Conclusion: Combined intravitreal triamcinolone and photodynamic therapy was not associated with any alteration in ocular blood flow or flow velocity over 3 months in eyes with age-related macular degeneration.

KEYWORDS::

• Age-related macular degeneration
• Choroidal neovascular membrane
• Color Doppler imaging
• Intravitreal triamcinolone
• Ocular perfusion
• Ocular photodynamic therapy

Declaration of interest: Portions of this paper were presented at the 25th Annual ASRS Meeting, Indian Wells, CA, December 1-5, 2007. The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.