Photobiomodulation in the Treatment of Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Effectiveness, Advantages, and Disadvantages

Aim To evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of photobiomodulation (PBM) in the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Material and Method: The records of the 57 eyes of 34 cases consisting of 19 (55.9%) females and 15 (44.1%) males who had undergone PBM for dry AMD at the İstanbul Pendik Sistemgöz Medical center were retrospectively evaluated. Results The number of eyes with records at the 1st, 3rd and 6th month respectively was 57, 57, and 55. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before PBM was 0.360 ± 0.031 and was found to be significantly higher than baseline in the 1st month with 0.481 ± 0.039, 3rd month with 0.470 ± 0.038, and the 6th month with 0.419 ± 0.036 (p < 0.001). The rate of vision increase following PBM was 59.6% in the 1st month, 61.4% in the 3rd month, and 43.9% in the 6th month. There was no significant difference in the central retinal thickness (CRT) or central retinal volume (CRV) values at any period of the follow-up duration. The only complication following PBM was conversion to wet AMD in the first month in one case. The long session duration, the need for regular application, and the relatively high cost were found to be the main disadvantages. Conclusion PBM is an effective and reliable method in the treatment of dry AMD. However, it also has significant disadvantages.