Photodynamic Therapy of Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a potentially selective treatment modality, which involves systemic administration of a photosensitizer dye. Dye accumulates in proliferating tissues such as tumors and neovascularization, followed by exposure of the photosensitized tissue to light at a wavelength at the absorption maximum of the dye. Excitation of the dye leads to photochemical damage of the targeted tissue. Various photosensitizers have been used in experimental choroidal neovascularization to investigate PDT. We have used benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid (BPD) and shown that it occludes experimental choroidal neovascularization (CNV) with no significant damage to the overlying neurosensory retina or underlying choroid. Clinical trials of PDT using BPD for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) have started. Preliminary results suggest that CNV can be occluded in the early posttreatment phase, with some nonselective effects at high light doses. Further studies are underway to investigate whether PDT of AMD can help preserve long-term vision in patients.

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