Psychosocial implications of clinical trials on patients with age-related macular degeneration and pathologic myopia as seen in the photodynamic therapy trials.

Photodynamic therapy is a combination of the systemically injected photosensitizing drug, verteporfin, and the subsequent exposure of the affected retina to a low-beam diode laser. Eligible participants in the photodynamic therapy clinical trial were those with "wet" cases of age-related macular degeneration with subfoveal, predominantly classic lesions. The expected outcome of the treatment is to preserve vision, not to restore lost vision. Study participants are frustrated in their performance of daily activities and often have unrealistic expectations of photodynamic therapy treatment outcomes (eg, improved vision). Frustration and fear are evident at visits during which their actual vision loss is measured. One of our goals is to help the patients have realistic expectations of treatment outcomes.