AIM: To investigate the clinical effect of photodynamic therapy(PDT)combined with Traditional Chinese medicine Sanqi Panax Notoginseng therapy for age-related macular degeneration(AMD)and choroidal neovascularization(CNV).

METHODS: Seventeen patients(17 eyes)with AMD and CNV were diagnosed by visual acuity, ocular pressure, fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA), idocyanine green angiography(ICGA)and optic coherence tomography(OCT), and male 7 cases, female 10 cases, age 53-72 years old. PDT was performed using the recommended standard procedure. The patients were treated with PDT for 5 days, and Sanqi Panax Notoginseng 500mg injection by intravenous drip for 10 days, once a day, 15 days as one course. One month, 3, 6 months of follow-up after treatment.

RESULTS: Of 17 patients after 6 months treatment, visual acuity improved in 8 cases(47%, 8/17), remained stable in 6 cases(35%), and decreased in 3 cases(18%); and 12 cases(71%)with CNV closure and leakage stopped completely, 5 cases(29%)with most of the CNV's closure, 1 patient experienced blurred vision.

CONCLUSION: The results show that PDT combined with traditional Chinese medicine Sanqi Panax Notoginseng in treatment of ADM-CNV is simple and has reliable effect, it can be used in clinical application.