Purpose | Background | Description | Patient Eligibility | Recruitment Status | Current Status | Results | Publications | Clinical Centers | Resource Centers | NEI Representative
To determine whether application of low-intensity laser treatment of eyes with drusen in the macula can prevent later complications of age-related macular degeneration and thereby preserve visual function.
Complications of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are the leading cause of severe vision loss among people aged 65 and over in the United States and many Western countries. Most, (approximately 90 percent), of this vision loss is due to the neovascular (or wet) form of AMD. The word neovascular describes the development of new, abnormal blood vessels in the back of the eye. Unfortunately, the majority of these new vessels are not amenable to currently available treatments.
The first sign that an eye may develop AMD is the presence of drusen, yellowish deposits under the retina. Current data suggests that eyes with large drusen are at increased risk for developing the vision threatening complications of AMD. Since the 1970s investigators have reported consistently that laser photocoagulation causes a reduction in large drusen. However, results of the effects of laser treatment on preventing later complications of AMD have been less consistent and based on relatively small numbers of patients.
Further study into the ability of a treatment to prevent vision loss from the advanced forms of AMD would have profound public health implications. A treatment that could reduce the risk of developing neovascularization by 30 percent might reduce the risk of blindness from AMD by one half. The Complications of Age-related Macular Degeneration Prevention Trial (CAPT) will assess whether treating drusen by laser photocoagulation reduces the risk of loss of visual acuity.
The CAPT is a multi-center, prospective, randomized clinical trial designed to assess the safety and effectiveness of low-intensity laser treatment in preventing vision loss among patients with large drusen in both eyes. Eligible patients will have one eye randomly assigned to laser treatment performed by a CAPT-certified ophthalmologist. The other eye is not treated. Both eyes are observed carefully for any changes for a period of five years. The effectiveness of the treatment will be assessed using the following criteria:
- Change in visual acuity (primary outcome measure of the study)
- Incidence of complications of AMD such as neovascularization, serous detachment of the pigment epithelium, and geographic atrophy
- Changes in contrast threshold and critical print size for reading
Quality of life assessments for patients, using the Visual Function Questionnaire 25 (VFQ-25), will be conducted at the time of enrollment and at 5 years.
Patients eligible for CAPT can be either male or female and meet the following criteria:
- Age at least 50 years old
- Vision in each eye must measure 20/40 or better.
- At least 10 large drusen in each eye
- Available for follow-up examinations for 5 years after enrollment
Final eligibility is determined through a detailed eye examination by a CAPT-certified ophthalmologist.
Completed. A total of 1,052 have been enrolled at 22 clinical centers across the United States. Recruitment began on May 1, 1999 and ended on March 31, 2001. A minimum of 5 years of follow-up for all patients is planned.
Ongoing.
None.
None.
Arizona
Donald W. Park, M.D.
Retinal Consultants of Arizona, Ltd.
10615 West Thunderbird Boulevard
Suite D-500
Sun City, AZ 85351
Telephone: (602) 402-0409
Fax: (602) 833-6209
Donald W. Park, M.D.
Retinal Consultants of Arizona, Ltd.
560 West Brown Road, Suite 2004
Mesa, AZ 85201
Telephone: (602) 402-0409
Fax: (602) 833-6209
California
Robert M. Johnson, M.D.
Schatz, McDonald, Johnson, Ai
One Daniel Burnham Court, Suite 210C
San Francisco, CA 94109
Telephone: (415) 441-0906
Fax: (415) 441-0421
Florida
Peter Reed Pavan, M.D.
University of South Florida Eye Institute
12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard
MDC Box 21
Tampa, FL 33612-4766
Telephone: (813) 974-1530
Fax: (813) 974-5621
Georgia
Paul Sternberg, Jr., M.D.
Emory Eye Center
Emory University School of Medicine
1365-B Clifton Road, 4th Floor, Room B4625
Atlanta, GA 30322
Telephone: (404) 778-2423
Fax: (404) 778-5128
Illinois
David Orth, M.D.
Illinois Retina Associates, S.C.
Irwin Retina Center
71 West 156th Street, Suite 400
Harvey, IL 60426
Telephone: (708) 915-6926
Fax: (708) 596-9820
Alice Lyon, M.D.
Northwestern University
Retina Study Center
222 East Superior, 4th Floor
Chicago, IL 60611
Telephone: (312) 695-2567
Fax: (312) 908-9714
Iowa
James Folk, M.D.
University of Iowa
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 55242-1091
Telephone: (319) 353-6478
Fax: (319) 356-0363
Kentucky
Charles C. Barr, M.D.
Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Louisville
School of Medicine
Kentucky Lions Eye Research Institute
301 East Muhammed Ali Boulevard
Louisville, KY 40202-1594
Telephone: (502) 852-7387
Fax: (502) 852-7298
Maryland
Andrew P. Schachat, M.D.
The Johns Hopkins University
Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute
Johns Hopkins Hospital, Maumanee 205
600 North Wolfe Street
Baltimore, MD 21287-9223
Telephone: (410) 614-6908
Fax: (410) 614-1683
Massachusettes
Jeffrey Heier, M.D.
Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston
Diseases and Surgery of the Retina and Vitreous
50 Staniford Street, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02114
Telephone: (617) 367-4800
Fax: (617) 723-7028
Michigan
Michael Trese, M.D.
Associate Retinal Consultants, P.C.
William Beaumont Hospital
3535 West Thirteen Mile Road, Suite 632
Royal Oak, MI 48073
Telephone: (248) 551-9866
Fax: (248) 551-7832
Minnesota
Dennis M. Robertson, M.D.
Mayo Clinic
200 First Street, S.W.
Rochester, MN 55905
Telephone: (507) 284-5052
Fax: (507) 284-4612
Missouri
Gilbert Grand, M.D.
Barnes Retina Institute
1 Barnes Hospital Plaza
Suite 17413 East Pavilion
St. Louis, MO 63110
Telephone: (314) 367-1278
Fax: (314) 367-5764
New Jersey
Steven R. Leff, M.D.
Retina-Vitreous Center, P.A.
98 James Street, Suite 310
Edison, NJ 08820
Telephone: (732) 363-3891
Fax: (732) 363-0403
Steven R. Leff, M.D.
Retina-Vitreous Center, P.A.
525 Route 70 West, Suite B-14
Lakewood, NJ 08701
Telephone: (732) 363-3891
Fax: (732) 363-0403
North Carolina
Andrew N. Antoszyk, M.D.
Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Associates, P.A.
1600 East Third Street
Charlotte, NC 28204
Telephone: (704) 945-4111 x1103
Fax: (704) 944-4895
Ohio
Lawrence J. Singerman, M.D.
Retina Associates of Cleveland
26900 Cedar Road, Suite 303
Cleveland, OH 44122
Telephone: (800) 473-8462
Fax: (216) 831-1959
Frederick H. Davidorf, M.D.
The Ohio State University
Department of Ophthalmology
456 West 10th Avenue, Suite 5B
Columbus, OH 43210
Telephone: (614) 293-8041
Fax: (614) 293-6180
Oregon
Michael L. Klein, M.D.
Casey Eye Institute
3375 S.W. Terwillager Boulevard
Portland, OR 97201-4197
Telephone: (503) 494-3055
Fax: (503) 494-7233
Richard F. Dreyer, M.D.
Private Practice
1040 N.W. 22nd Avenue, Suite 200
Portland, OR 97210
Telephone: (503) 229-8472
Fax: (503) 725-1734
Pennsylvania
Juan E. Grunwald, M.D.
Scheie Eye Institute
51 North 39th Street, Room 501
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Telephone: (215) 662-8691
Fax: (215) 662-8025
Texas
Gary Edd Fish, M.D.
Texas Retina Associates
7150 Greenville Avenue, Suite 400
Dallas, TX 75231
Telephone: (214) 692-6941
Fax: (214) 739-5797
Wisconsin
Suresh R. Chandra, M.D.
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
2880 University Avenue, Room 224
Madison, WI 53705
Telephone: (608) 263-9035
Fax: (608) 262-6222
Chairman's Office
Stuart L. Fine, M.D.
Scheie Eye Institute
The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Department of Ophthalmology
51 N. 39th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Telephone: (215) 662-8142
Coordinating Center
Maureen G. Maguire, Ph.D., Director
CAPT Coordinating Center
3535 Market Street, Suite 700
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3309
Telephone: (215) 615-1500
Fax: (215) 615-1531
Photograph Reading Center
Judy Alexander, Director
CAPT Photograph Reading Center
3535 Market Street, Suite 700
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3309
Telephone: (215) 615-1515
Fax: (215) 615-1533
Natalie Kurinij, Ph.D.
National Eye Institute
National Institutes of Health
Executive Plaza South, Suite 350
6120 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7164
Bethesda, MD 20892-5983
Telephone: (301) 496-5983
Fax: (301) 402-0528
Brian P. Conway, M.D.
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Charlottesville, VA
Aaron Kasoff, M.D.
Albany Eye Associates
Albany, NY
Christopher Leighton, Ed.D.
Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies
Baltimore, MD
Anne Lindblad, Ph.D.
Emmes Corporation
Potomac, MD
David Mazur, M.D.
National Naval Medical Center
Bethesda, MD
Daniel Seigel, Ph.D.
Cushing, ME
Stuart L. Fine, M.D.
Scheie Eye Institute
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Natalie Kurinij, Ph.D.
National Eye Institute
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD
Maureen G. Maguire, Ph.D.
Scheie Eye Institute
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Last Updated: 11/6/01
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