Photodynamic therapy: current role in the treatment of chorioretinal conditions

Verteporfin photodynamic therapy (vPDT) is a selective vaso-occlusive treatment that targets choroidal vascular abnormalities. It was initially developed to treat neovascular age-related macular degeneration using the 'standard' vPDT protocol (verteporfin 6 mg/m(2), vPDT laser fluence 50 J/cm(2)). vPDT therapy has subsequently evolved as an important treatment modality for a range of other chorioretinal conditions including choroidal haemangioma, central serous chorioretinopathy, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, and peripapillary choroidal neovascularisation. Various 'safety-enhanced' vPDT protocols have been devised to optimise treatment outcomes, typically using reduced dose verteporfin (verteporfin 3 mg/m(2)) or reduced fluence vPDT (vPDT laser fluence 25 J/cm(2)). This paper reviews the current role of vPDT therapy in the treatment of chorioretinal conditions.