Two Cases of Photodynamic Therapy with Verteporfin in Patients with Corneal Neovascularization.

Yoon, Kyung Chul; Im, Seong Kyu; Oh, Han Jin; Park, Yeoung Geol

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2006;47(1):13-18.
Published online January 31, 2006.

Two Cases of Photodynamic Therapy with Verteporfin in Patients with Corneal Neovascularization.

Kyung Chul Yoon, Seong Kyu Im, Han Jin Oh, Yeoung Geol Park

Department of Ophthalmology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea. kcyoon@chonnam.ac.kr

각막신생혈관에서 버테포르핀 광역학치료 2예

윤경철,임성규,오한진,박영걸

Department of Ophthalmology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea

Correspondence: Kyung Chul Yoon, M.D.

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the clinical effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin (Visudyne(R), Novartis Ophthalmics AG, Hettingen, Switzerland) in the treatment of corneal neovascularization. METHODS: We performed photodynamic therapy on one eye with corneal neovascularization associated with lipid keratopathy, and on another eye with corneal neovascularization after corneal perforation. Verteporfin was administrated intravenously for 10 minutes at a dose of 6 mg/m2 of body surface area. Fifteen minutes after the start of administration, a 689 nm nonthermal laser light (Opal photoactivator, Coherent Inc., USA) was delivered directly over the neovascular network for 83 seconds with a spot size of 4000 micrometer. The patients were followed up at 3 days, 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months after treatment. RESULTS: In both cases, new vessels were successfully occluded after the photodynamic therapy. No recanalization of new vessels was observed at last follow-up and no complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: PDT with verteporfin is considered to be a safe and effective procedure to regress corneal neovascularization.

Key Words: Corneal neovascularization;Photodynamic therapy;Verteporfin