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Continuing Medical Education



New Approaches to Age-Related Macular Degeneration


Release Date: September 2000

Last Review Date: August 2000

Expiration Date: September 30, 2001

Target Audience: Ophthalmologists

Statement of Need: As the leading cause of severe, irreversible vision loss and legal blindness in the United States, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major public health concern. As our elderly population increases, the interest in developing successful treatments will only intensify. This article reviews new approaches to laser treatment of both exudative (wet form) and non-exudative (dry form) types of AMD.

Learning Objectives:
  1. Explain the preventive laser treatment of AMD before it reaches the exudative stage.
  2. List the properties, advantages and benefits of diode laser treatment.
  3. Identify how Transpupillary Thermotherapy (TTT) is a viable treatment of Choroidal Neovascularization (CNV).
  4. Describe Indocyanine Green (ICG) angiography in the treatment of feeder vessels that supply blood to choroidal vascular lesions.
  5. Discuss the use of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) in the treatment of AMD.


Estimated Time to Complete the Activity: 2 hours

Faculty/Editorial Board: Giorgio Dorin; Thomas R. Friberg, M.D.; Bert M. Glaser, M.D.; Robert P. Murphy, M.D.; Elias Reichel, M.D.; and Edgar L. Thomas, M.D.

Accreditation Statement: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and Review of Ophthalmology. The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians and takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity.

Designation Statement: The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of two (2) hours in category 1 credit towards the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

Disclosure Statement: Mr. Dorin is an employee of IRIDEX Corporation. Dr. Friberg has received grant/research support from Iridex Corp. Dr. Glaser has nothing to disclose. Dr. Murphy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Reichel has received grant/research support from Iridex Corporation. Dr. Thomas has disclosed his status as a consultant for Pharmacia and Miravant. He has also received grant/research support from Pharmacia and Miravant. Postgraduate Institute for Medicine does not view the existence of these relationships to imply bias or that the value of the material is decreased. The content of this activity was planned to be balanced, objective, and scientifically rigorous. Occasionally, authors may express opinions that represent their own viewpoint. Conclusions drawn by participants should be derived from objective analysis of scientific data.

Disclaimer: Information presented in this program may include unlabeled use(s) of drugs/products. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

This CME article is sponsored by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Iridex Corp.

Click here to participate in this CME program.