Pegaptanib Sodium's Effect on Foveal Thickening in Exudative Subfoveal Age-Related Macular Degeneration

This study focuses on treating a condition called Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), specifically the exudative subfoveal type. AMD affects the macula, a small spot near the center of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. This study is important as it aims to find a more effective treatment for this condition, which is a common cause of vision loss in older adults. The study involves patients with different foveal thicknesses, a measure of the macula's condition. The study is designed as a randomized, double-masked trial, meaning neither the patients nor the doctors know who is receiving the treatment or a sham (fake) treatment. The treatment being tested is a drug called Pegaptanib Sodium, also known as Macugen. Some patients will receive Macugen, while others will receive a sham injection. After 24 weeks, all patients will start receiving Macugen until the end of the study at 54 weeks. The study's results will be measured by changes in the patients' vision and the thickness of their fovea.