Verteporfin photodynamic therapy for neovascular age-related ...

DOI: 10.3310/hta16060Health Technology Assessment 2012; Vol. 16: No. 6111• Contrast sensitivity (CS); CS need only be collected by DPs who have beennominated to collect the extended dataset. CS must be assessed using PelliRobson CS charts, with precise details of the letters seen/not seen on each linebeing recorded on the paper form supplied by the Data Management Centre. Theform should be retained and be placed in the patient’s notes. The protocol for CSassessment is described in Appendix 6. Note that it is essential to record thedate of assessment and the patient’s hospital number on the form. Details of thesupplier of Pelli-Robson CS charts can be found in Appendix 5.• Fluorescein angiography: details of the date and type of angiogram carried outmust be entered in the database. (As details are entered for one eye thedatabase automatically fills in same details for other eye.) The protocol forundertaking fluorescein angiography and colour photography is described inAppendix 7. Details of how to submit angiograms to the Angiographic ResourceFacility in Belfast are described in Appendix 8.• Eye status: at the first visit (and subsequent visits if an eye is not treated), theophthalmologist examining the patients must select one of four options: (a) noCNV, (b) ineligible, (c) observed, (d) treatment this visit. Additional information isrequested, depending on the eye status selected, e.g. reasons for ineligibility orobservation, lesion characteristics if treated. It is assumed that when the patientis undergoing the clinical examination that a fundus fluorescein angiogram,carried out in accordance with the protocol (see Appendix 7) will be available tohelp the clinician reach a decision on whether the lesion is eligible . To make thedecision about eligibility, the clinician will need to be familiar with theclassification of CNV (see Appendix 1 for an algorithm for classifying CNVlesions).• After an eye has been treated, on subsequent visits the eye status options forthat eye are restricted to (a) treated or (b) not treated. Note that eye status shouldbe chosen independently for right and left eyes so that, for example, a fellow eyecan become a treated eye at any time. Note also that the ‘clock’ describingmonths since baseline does not start ‘ticking’ until an eye is first treated. Fortreated eyes, the ophthalmologist must enter ‘months since baseline’ to indicatewhich the current visit is considered to be. For example, a follow-up visit maytake place 4 months (rather than exactly 3 months) after initial treatment; theophthalmologist should indicate that this represents the ‘3 month visit’ using themonths since baseline data field.© Queen’s Printer and Controller of HMSO 2012. This work was produced by Reeves et al. under the terms of a commissioning contract issued by theSecretary of State for Health.