[Verteporfin and photosensitivity in diabetic]

A 33-year-old woman with a myopic neovascular lesion was treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin. She had a borde-line diabetes mellitus that finally needed treatment with a sulfonylurea. She underwent a second treatment with PDT that was uneventful, but 10 hours later she experienced severe skin photosensitivity reaction.

As the use of verteporfin becomes more widespread around the world, physicians must be alert to the possibility of adverse side effects associated with its use and its interaction with other drugs.