Objective To evaluate the visual function before and after photodynamic therapy(PDT) in patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization ( CNV) caused by age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods Twenty-five consecutive patients (34 eyes) treated with PDT (verteporfin) for subfoveal CNV in age-related macular degeneration diagnosed by fluorescein angiography (FFA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Visual function including best corrected visual acuity, contrast sensitivity frequency, binocular function, confusion, stereo-vision, color vision, metamorphopsis and central scotoma were examed before photodynamic therapy and 1 week, 1 month, 3 month after photodynamic therapy. The follow-up time varied from 3 months to 2 years (mean 7.6 months). Results The changes of visual function at the 3rd month after photodynamic therapy revealed improving in 13 eyes (38.24%), without any change in 17 eyes (50.00%), and decreasing in 6 eyes (17.65%). Visual acuity with logMRA improved after photodynamic therapy, but without statistic difference. All spatial contrast sensitivity improved. Contrast sensitivity for spatial frequencies 5 cycles per degree (cpd) was better after photodynamic therapy with significant difference (P=0.045).Binocular function, fusion function, stereo function and color vision were slightly improved without statistic difference. Conclusion Damage of visual function in macular degeneration is many-sided. The treatment of PDT for exudative AMD can improve part visual function. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis，2004，20：289-291)