To evaluate the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in Korean patients.

Clinical data of patients who were treated with PDT for PCV and followed up for more than 6 months were collected from 14 hospitals around the country. The changes in the best corrected visual acuity, angiographic outcome, retinal thickness measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT), and adverse effects of treatment were evaluated.

Eighty six patients (86 eyes) were recruited (male: 75.6%, age: 65.9±8.3 years, mean follow-up: 14.8±10.2 months). The mean logMAR visual acuity at baseline was 0.55±0.32 and did not show any statistically significant difference from the final mean logMAR visual acuity (0.53±0.54) ( p =0.639). The mean treatment session number of PDT was 2±1.2. Visual acuity stabilized or improved in 70.9% of patients. Visual acuity improved by more than 2 lines in 33 eyes (38.4%) and worsened by more than 2 lines in 21 eyes (24.4%) of patients. Vascular leakage decreased in 62.5% of patients in fluorescein angiography and polypoidal lesions disappeared or were reduced in 57.3% of patients in indocyanine green angiography. There was no systemic adverse effect of PDT, but increased subretinal hemorrhage after PDT occurred in 10 eyes (11.6%).

In polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, photodynamic therapy with verteporfin is safe and effective for preserving visual acuity and reducing vascular leakage and retinal thickness.