Prevalence of patients presenting with neovascular age-related macular degeneration in an urban population.
PURPOSE: To determine the number and type of new cases of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) present in a defined urban population and to establish the proportion that would be recommended for treatment with verteporfin or laser photocoagulation. METHODS: Patients referred to an ophthalmic center in Vienna during a 10-week period because of recent deterioration in vision caused by newly diagnosed neovascular AMD were included. RESULTS: Neovascular AMD was diagnosed in 168 eyes in 153 patients. One hundred one eyes (60.1%) had lesions that were occult with no classic choroidal neovascularization (CNV); of these, 70 were subfoveal, 19 were juxtafoveal, and 12 were extrafoveal. Thirty-five eyes (20.8%) had predominantly classic lesions; of these, 27 were subfoveal, 6 were juxtafoveal, and 2 were extrafoveal. Thirty-two eyes (19.0%) had minimally classic lesions, of which 31 were subfoveal and 1 was extrafoveal. In accordance with consensus guidelines from a panel of experts and with American Academy of Ophthalmology's Preferred Practice Pattern guidelines, 33 lesions (17%) would be considered for treatment with verteporfin therapy. A further 37 subfoveal lesions with occult with no classic CNV and 7 juxtafoveal lesions with occult with no classic CNV might also benefit from verteporfin therapy if there is evidence of presumed recent disease progression. Five lesions (3.0%) could have been treated with laser photocoagulation according to Macular Photocoagulation Study criteria. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that verteporfin therapy substantially increases the number of patients with treatable neovascular AMD.