| Q.1.
How do I know if I have the type of macular degeneration that might be helped with photodynamic therapy? |
| A.1. Only the wet or leaking form of macular degeneration is treatable with this approach. In addition, only certain types of abnormal vessels have been shown to be effectively closed with photodynamic therapy. As a result, only a retinal specialist is able to determine if your condition would be potentially helped by this new therapeutic approach. People with advanced scarring and damage to the macula are not likely to be helped by this therapy. |
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| Q.2. Will photodynamic therapy make my vision better? |
| A.2. While almost 2/3rds of patients demonstrated stabilization of vision in the recently released results from the clinical trial of Visudyne therapy, only 16% of patients demonstrated visual improvement. This therapy appears to be most effective in stabilizing vision, while a small number of patients will actually experience some visual improvement. |
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| Q.3. What are some of the negative or side-effects of this treatment? |
| A.3. As mentioned, only 2% of patients dropped out of the trial because of side-effects. Other side-effects occurred in similar numbers between the treatment and the placebo groups. Reactions that did occur more commonly in patients receiving Visudyne therapy included reactions at the site of injection of the dye, mild temporary decreased vision, and temporary reactions to light that occur within the first 24 hours after receiving treatment. |
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| Q.4. How long do I have to really remain out of the sun? |
| A.4. You must remain out of direct continued sun exposure for 5 days following treatment. Normal indoor lighting is acceptable, but very bright halogen lamps must be avoided. Patients can go outside for brief periods of time as long as they are wearing long sleeves, long pants, a hat, and sunglasses. |
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| Q.5. Do I really have to come back every three months for treatment, or is one treatment enough for some people? |
| A.5. The results of the study show that most patients did receive treatment every three months during the course of therapy. It is possible that continued treatments will be required for a long period of time. On the other hand, there may be some people who demonstrate permanent closure of the blood vessel. The longer term results from the ongoing study will help to determine more precisely the numbers of patients that can be expected to stabilize permanently versus those that will require continued, repeat treatments. |
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| Q.6. If a doctor tells me I need laser treatment, and it is so damaging, shouldn’t I just wait for photodynamic therapy? |
| A.6. If your retinal specialist has recommended conventional laser treatment because the blood vessel you have is well-defined and located outside the center of vision, then laser treatment should be performed. Laser itself has been clearly proven to be effective in stopping leakage and maintaining visual function in a selected group of patients. If your physician has determined that you should receive laser, you can discuss the option of photodynamic therapy with him or her, and a decision should be reached based on your examination. |
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| Q.7. How can I get more information about this drug and about the technique of photodynamic therapy? |
| A.7. There is a website sponsored by CIBA Vision, www.visudyne.com, which provides information regarding the drug and the results of the clinical trial. If you wish to receive information directly from the manufacturer, you should contact them at their website. In addition, this website is creating a "mailing list" to provide information for patients interested in photodynamic therapy as it becomes available. We would be happy to add your name and e-mail address to our mailing list. |
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