Ocular
photodynamic therapy (
PDT) was introduced as a novel treatment for neovascular forms of
age-related macular degeneration and
choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathologic
myopia in the mid/end 1990s. The current treatment recommendations are based on the results of two large, prospective, multicenter, randomized clinical trials (Treatment of
Age-Related Macular Degeneration with
Photodynamic Therapy and
Verteporfin in
Photodynamic Therapy Studies) and thousands of patients have been treated worldwide over the last years. Meanwhile,
PDT has been performed in several other ocular pathologies with some remarkable results, however, with most reports being case reports and small case series without statistical significance. These extended applications include CNV secondary to
choroiditis and retinochoroiditis,
angioid streaks,
central serous chorioretinopathy,
retinal angiomatous proliferation, parafoveal
telangiectasia or CNV associated with
macular dystrophy and idiopathic CNV, as well as diseases without CNV, such as choroidal
hemangioma,
retinal hamartoma, choroidal
melanoma, chronic
central serous chorioretinopathy, angiomatous lesions secondary to systemic diseases, rubeosis iridis or
neovascular glaucoma. To date, with the introduction of anti-
VEGF therapy, the role of
PDT will certainly change. However, it is reasonable to believe that it will maintain an important role in combination
therapy due to its unique properties of selective vascular targeting. Therefore, it is essential for the ophthalmologist to be familiar with the extended applications and their modifications of treatment parameters. This review will summarize the standard and experimental applications of
PDT based on our own results and the literature.