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

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using topically administered ATX-S10(Na) on corneal neovascularization (CoNV). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Rabbit eyes with induced CoNV were treated with ATX-S10(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 treated eyes. The eyes having occluded, CoNV were irradiated using fluence of 510-1019 J/cm2 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 topically administered ATX-S100(Na), suggesting this modality as a possible treatment for CoNV avoids the side effects found with systemic administration of the dye. Further efforts to improve the eye drops in terms of pH and osmotic pressure are needed to achieve increased dye accumulation.