Welcome to the PAINT Study
A study investigating photodynamic laser therapy with verteporfin versus placebo for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR).
What is the aim of the PAINT study
We to find out whether photodynamic laser therapy (PDT) is a safe and effective treatment for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR).
What is chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy?
CSCR is a poorly understood eye disease. It affects the eye tissue which senses light (the retina). In CSCR, fluid gathers under the retina, and this can happen for no apparent reason. This can lead to permanent vision loss in about 1/3 of cases. Some cases resolve on their own, but some persist for years, recur or affect the second eye. The cause is unknown although it can occur in families and some genetic changes have been found.
What are the current treatment options?
Currently, there are no proven treatments for CSCR as there is a lack of strong evidence. However, a common treatment is PDT. This is a laser therapy to the eye. The evidence for the effectiveness and safety of PDT treatment is limited, yet it is an existing standard therapy for CSCR in many NHS hospitals.
What is the aim of the PAINT study?
We to find out whether photodynamic laser therapy (PDT) is a safe and effective treatment for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR).
The PAINT study will test the effectiveness of PDT versus placebo (a treatment identical to PDT therapy in every way but contains no active properties). We are using a placebo because we want to see if PDT laser is a safe and effective treatment for CSCR.
The PAINT Trial will look for any changes observed in the retina and in any genetic risk factors. Our goal is to produce a more personalised treatment for CSCR patients.
How many sites and participants will be involved?
The PAINT Trial will be performed in at least 13 different NHS hospitals around the UK. The aim is to recruit 140 patients, who will either be treated with PDT laser or placebo and followed up for twelve months. The most important comparison between the two groups of patients is how much their vision improves with PDT compared to placebo.
You can view a list of the participating sites here.
Do you need more information?
This website provides details of the PAINT study for potential participants, and active participants. If you have specific queries and want more information, please feel free to contact the study team via email: paint-trial@bristol.ac.uk.
A list of the current study team members are available here.