PURPOSE: Comparison of subjective outcome (patient's satisfaction) with objective data (improvement of visual acuity-VA) after treatment of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). METHODS: In a retrospective study we analyzed 23 charts of patients with angiofluoresceinographic diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration submitted to only one application of transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT). Visual acuity was recorded before and one month after the application, and the satisfaction of the patients with the treatment. RESULTS: 23 patients (15 females and 8 males), 53 to 88 years old (mean 74.8) were evaluated. 12 eyes were found with improvement of visual acuity, 6 eyes without alteration of visual acuity, 6 eyes with worse visual acuity. Regarding satisfaction the results were: 4 eyes, very satisfied; 13 eyes, satisfied; 7 eyes, not satisfed, and checking the data we found 3 eyes, very satisfied with the improvement of visual acuity and 1 eye, very satisfied without improvement of VA. Satisfied with improvement of visual acuity there were 7 eyes, satisfied without improvement of VA, 3 eyes and satisfied with worsening of VA, 3 eyes. CONCLUSION: Visual acuity was improved in 12 eyes of the 24 studied eyes; the number of very satisfied patients reached 17 eyes within one month. Observing these results transpupillary thermotherapy may be considered as alternative or adjuvant treatment for age-related macular degeneration.
Macular degeneration; Retinal neovascularization; Visual acuity; Hyperthermia; induced; Patient satisfaction
