Photodynamic therapy for corneal neovascularization using topically administered ATX-S10(Na)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of photodynamic therap y (PDT) using topically administered ATX-S10(Na) on corneal neovascularizat ion (CoNV). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Rabbit eyes with induced CoNV were treated with ATX-S 10(Na) eye drops (10 mg/mL) every 5 minutes, 5 to 25 times. Five to ninety minutes after topical administration, the CoNV were irradiated with a diode laser using a wavelength of 670 nm. RESULTS: The CoNV were occluded fluorescein angiographically in 7 of 16 tre ated eyes. The eyes having occluded, CoNV were irradiated using fluence of 510-1019 J/cm(2) within 20 minutes of eye-drop administration. However, the effect was more variable than what we found using systemic administration in our previous investigation. CONCLUSIONS: Experimental CoNV was occluded by photodynamic therapy using t opically administered ATX-S10(Na), suggesting this modality as a possible t reatment for CoNV avoids the side effects found with systemic administratio n of the dye. Further efforts to improve the eye drops in terms of pH and o smotic pressure are needed to achieve increased dye accumulation.