Ocular Photodynamic Therapy With Verteporfin for Choroidal Neovascularization Secondary to Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrome

Abstract

Ocular photodynamic therapy with verteporfin may be beneficial in patients with CNV secondary to OHS, even in the setting of previous submacular surgery.

CNVM in POHS

“…Forty patients were evaluated in a retrospective chart review, and those patients that received treatment developed almost a complete line of visual acuity improvement. Most of these patients did not have recurrence of the neovascular membrane [15][16][17][18]. Also, this treatment is effective even if a patient has had the surgical removal of the CNVM in the past.…”

“…This particular treatment involves an IV injection of verteporfin which concentrates itself in abnormal vascular structures. This tissue then becomes illuminated with a non-thermal laser source using the wavelength of peak sensitivity of verteporfin, causing irreversible cellular damage to this tissue and this tissue specifically [15][16][17][18]. The advantage to this particular treatment is that there is less collateral damage because the treatment area is more specific and less invasive.…”

“…The advantage to this particular treatment is that there is less collateral damage because the treatment area is more specific and less invasive. Also, there is no thermal energy applied to the eye [15][16][17][18].…”

New and classic insights into presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome and its treatment

“…Photodynamic therapy, however, constitutes a very promising treatment option for CNV secondary to POHS. Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin seems to offer positive results even in eyes that have undergone previous submacular surgery [48].…”

<title>Blue laser system for photo-dynamic therapy</title>

“…The photo-dynamic therapy is applied in ophthalmology mainly to treat age related macular degeneration, sub-retinal neo-vascularisation in myopia and POHS. The actual therapy is based on the verteporfirin as photo-agent [3][4][5], but the treatment, that requires many sessions, is prohibitive expensive. An alternative therapy, based on riboflavin (B2 vitamin) as photosensitive substance [6][7][8], was developed.…”