Photodynamic therapy for corneal neovascularisation and lipid degeneration
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, USA
- Correspondence to: Bonnie J Brooks MD Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA, bbrooksmail.mcg.edu
- Accepted 3 October 2003
Corneal neovascularisation, and subsequent lipid keratopathy is a potential complication of penetrating keratoplasty, corneal trauma, and corneal ulceration. Corneal neovascularisation increases the risk of corneal opacification and graft rejection. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using systemically or topically administered photosensitisers to occlude corneal vessels has successfully produced microvascular thrombosis without causing overt damage to surrounding tissues in animal models.1,2 The efficacy of PDT is achieved through the generation of reactive oxygen species from the interaction of light, oxygen, and photosensitisers such as verteporfin,3 commonly used to treat choroidal neovascularisation. Although …
