What is Photodynamic Therapy?

Photodynamic therapy is applied with the principle of administering a substance called Verteporfin, which is sensitive to light, into the body through the arm and stimulating this substance with a low energy long wavelength laser light. Since 2000, when this treatment was first applied all over the world, we have been successfully applying it in Bayrampaşa Eye Hospital of our Foundation.

Objective

The aim is to apply the treatment by blocking the vessels only in the targeted area without damaging the surrounding tissues, and to preserve its integrity as much as possible without creating a burning effect and destroying a large area of tissue.

What diseases is it applied to?

Firstly, it was successfully applied in age types of Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) patients, also known as yellow spot disease among the people. In the following years, the treatment methods we apply by injecting some substances called anti-VEGF into the eye came to the forefront,  Photodynamic therapy  was applied only in cases of polypiodal choroidal vasculopathy of this patient group.

Nowadays, apart from macular degeneration, we also apply it in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR), some vascular enlargements in the eye called haemangioma and eye tumours.

Central serous chorioretinopathy is mostly seen in 30-50 age groups. Stress is the biggest cause and some drug use and diseases are other known causes. Fluid leaks occur in the retinal areas of the patients, which we call macula, resulting in decreased vision or curved and broken vision. Complaints may improve on their own within a few months. If clinical findings do not improve or progress further Photodynamic treatment can be applied.
 

Treatment;

Firstly, eye angiography and tomography are performed to determine the lesion or area to be treated. The substance called verteporfin is administered intravenously in a period of 10 minutes, and it is waited for 5 minutes for the drug to spread throughout the body. Then, laser is applied to the desired area for one and a half minutes depending on the situation. The desired treatment-effect is achieved by activating the drug with laser light and initiating clotting in the vessels. However, it is necessary to protect the patient from strong lights, including the sun, for two days after the treatment is applied. Because the drug is spread all over the body, the drug is activated in areas exposed to light, blocking the vessels and may cause necrosis. For this reason, the patient and his/her relatives are especially carefully warned in this regard.

The effect of photodynamic therapy begins to appear after about two weeks, and the treatment can be repeated after a few months, depending on the situation and need.

Prepared by the Editorial Board of Eye Foundation Hospitals.