Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin for avascular serous pigment epithelial detachment (PED) in elderly Korean patients.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 5 consecutive patients (7 eyes) who presented with a single large (>1 disk diameter) serous PED without clinical signs of soft drusen. Evident or faint choroidal hyperfluorescence was observed around the PED on indocyanine green angiogram (ICGA). Standard PDT was performed with laser spot covering the PED area.
Results: The mean follow-up period was 17 months (range, 12-31 months). Five eyes (71%) of 4 patients showed complete resolution of the PED with visual improvement 1 month post-PDT, and these results were sustained during the follow-up period. In the remaining 2 eyes (29%) of 1 patient, there was no change in PED with stable or decreased vision. Vision-threatening adverse events did not occur.
Conclusion: In elderly Asians, it is uncertain whether large serous PED without soft drusen is associated with age-related macular degeneration. Most of these PEDs may represent a variant of central serous chorioretinopathy in the elderly and PDT for these lesions showed encouraging results.