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Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a form of phototherapy involving light and a photosensitizing chemical substance used in conjunction with molecular oxygen to elicit cell death (phototoxicity).
The National Eye Institute (NEI) is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH),an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The mission of NEI is "to eliminate vision loss and improve quality of life through vision research." NEI consists of two major branches for research:an extramural branch that funds studies outside NIH and an intramural branch that funds research on the NIH campus in Bethesda,Maryland. Most of the NEI budget funds extramural research.
Macular edema occurs when fluid and protein deposits collect on or under the macula of the eye and causes it to thicken and swell (edema). The swelling may distort a person's central vision,because the macula holds tightly packed cones that provide sharp,clear,central vision to enable a person to see detail,form,and color that is directly in the centre of the field of view.
Light therapy,also called phototherapy or bright light therapy is the exposure to direct sunlight or artificial light at controlled wavelengths in order to treat a variety of medical disorders,including seasonal affective disorder (SAD),circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders,cancers,and skin wound infections. Treating skin conditions such as neurodermatitis,psoriasis,acne vulgaris,and eczema with ultraviolet light is called ultraviolet light therapy.
Macular degeneration,also known as age-related macular degeneration,is a medical condition which may result in blurred or no vision in the center of the visual field. Early on there are often no symptoms. Over time,however,some people experience a gradual worsening of vision that may affect one or both eyes. While it does not result in complete blindness,loss of central vision can make it hard to recognize faces,drive,read,or perform other activities of daily life. Visual hallucinations may also occur.
Central serous chorioretinopathy,also known as central serous retinopathy (CSR),is an eye disease that causes visual impairment,often temporary,usually in one eye. When the disorder is active it is characterized by leakage of fluid under the retina that has a propensity to accumulate under the central macula. This results in blurred or distorted vision (metamorphopsia). A blurred or gray spot in the central visual field is common when the retina is detached. Reduced visual acuity may persist after the fluid has disappeared.
Verteporfin,a benzoporphyrin derivative,is a medication used as a photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy to eliminate the abnormal blood vessels in the eye associated with conditions such as the wet form of macular degeneration. Verteporfin accumulates in these abnormal blood vessels and,when stimulated by nonthermal red light with a wavelength of 689 nm in the presence of oxygen,produces highly reactive short-lived singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen radicals,resulting in local damage to the endothelium and blockage of the vessels.
Pegaptanib sodium injection is an anti-angiogenic medicine for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It was discovered by NeXstar Pharmaceuticals and licensed in 2000 to EyeTech Pharmaceuticals,now OSI Pharmaceuticals,for late stage development and marketing in the United States. Gilead Sciences continues to receive royalties from the drugs licensing. Outside the US pegaptanib is marketed by Pfizer. Approval was granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2004.
Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is the creation of new blood vessels in the choroid layer of the eye. Choroidal neovascularization is a common cause of neovascular degenerative maculopathy commonly exacerbated by extreme myopia,malignant myopic degeneration,or age-related developments.
Photosens is a mixture of sulfonated aluminium phthalocyanines with various degrees of sulfonation. Developed in Russia.
Lineage Cell Therapeutics,Inc.is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel cell therapies for unmet medical needs. Lineage’s programs are based on its robust proprietary cell-based therapy platform and associated in-house development and manufacturing capabilities. With this platform Lineage develops and manufactures specialized,terminally differentiated human cells from its pluripotent and progenitor cell starting materials. These differentiated cells are developed to either replace or support cells that are dysfunctional or absent due to degenerative disease or traumatic injury or administered as a means of helping the body mount an effective immune response to cancer.
Joan Whitten Miller is a Canadian-American ophthalmologist and scientist who has made notable contributions to the treatment and understanding of eye disorders. She is credited for developing photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin (Visudyne),the first pharmacologic therapy for retinal disease. She also co-discovered the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in eye disease and demonstrated the therapeutic potential of VEGF inhibitors,forming the scientific basis of anti-VEGF therapy for age-related macular degeneration (AMD),diabetic retinopathy,and related conditions.
Anti–vascular endothelial growth factor therapy,also known as anti-VEGF therapy or medication,is the use of medications that block vascular endothelial growth factor. This is done in the treatment of certain cancers and in age-related macular degeneration. They can involve monoclonal antibodies such as bevacizumab,antibody derivatives such as ranibizumab (Lucentis),or orally-available small molecules that inhibit the tyrosine kinases stimulated by VEGF:sunitinib,sorafenib,axitinib,and pazopanib.
Emily Ying Chew is an American ophthalmologist and an expert on the human retina with a strong clinical and research interest in diabetic eye disease and age-related eye diseases. She currently works for the National Eye Institute (NEI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda,Maryland,where she serves as deputy director of the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications (DECA) and the Institute's deputy clinical director. She designs and implements Phase 1,2 and 3 clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center. Chew is board certified in ophthalmology.
Geographic atrophy (GA),also known as atrophic age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or advanced dry AMD,is an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration that can result in the progressive and irreversible loss of retinal tissue (photoreceptors,retinal pigment epithelium,choriocapillaris) which can lead to a loss of visual function over time. It is estimated that GA affects over 5 million people worldwide and approximately 1 million patients in the US,which is similar to the prevalence of neovascular (wet) AMD,the other advanced form of the disease.
Masayo Takahashi is a Japanese medical physician,ophthalmologist and stem cell researcher.
Elizabeth P. Rakoczy is a Hungarian-born molecular ophthalmologist. She is a professor at the University of Western Australia. She started the molecular ophthalmology department at the Lions Eye Institute. In 2017,Rakoczy was awarded the Florey Medal for her human gene therapy trial to modify viruses for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.
Tayyaba Hasan is a Professor of Dermatology at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Harvard Medical School. She is one of the inventors of Visudyne,a Food and Drug Administration approved treatment for age-related macular degeneration. She received the 2018 SPIE Britton Chance Biomedical Optics Award.
Professor Robyn Guymer was awarded an Elizabeth Blackburn Fellowship from the NHMRC,and works in ophthalmology at Melbourne University. Guymer is a senior retinal specialist within the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital,and is the deputy director,Centre for Eye Research Australia. She works in age-related macular degeneration as a clinician,academic,and researcher,and has used nano-lasers to treat Age-related Macular Degeneration.
Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is an eye disease primarily affecting the choroid. It may cause sudden blurring of vision or a scotoma in the central field of vision. Since Indocyanine green angiography gives better imaging of choroidal structures,it is more preferred in diagnosing PCV. Treatment options of PCV include careful observation,photodynamic therapy,thermal laser,intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF therapy,or combination therapy.
References
- 1 2 3 4 Shell, Barry (2006). Sensational Scientists: The Journeys and Discoveries of 24 Men and Women of Science. Raincoast Books. pp. 100–06. ISBN 1551927276.
- 1 2 3 Oakes, Elizabeth H (2007). Encyclopedia of World Scientists. Infobase. pp. 450–51. ISBN 978-1438118826.
- ↑ Bressler, Neil M., and Susan B. Bressler. "Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin (Visudyne): impact on ophthalmology and visual sciences."Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 41.3 (2000): 624-628
- ↑ Lähteenmäki, Riku (2001). "Public biotech 200 -- the numbers". Nature Biotechnology. 19 (5): 407–12. doi:10.1038/88054. PMID 11329000. S2CID 82784262.
- ↑ "Julia Levy Award". Chemical Institute of Canada.
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