Visudyne is the first drug therapy approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in patients with predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization. Visudyne is also indicated for treatment of pathologic myopia or presumed ocular histoplasmosis.
Age-related macular degeneration affects an area at the back of your eye called the macula. The macula is the part of the eye responsible for central vision that allows us to see fine details clearly. When someone has this disease, abnormal blood vessels start growing in the macula. This new growth is called neovascularization. These abnormal blood vessels leak fluid and blood into the macula, causing a scar to form. The scarred areas of your eyes no longer function well. So as the scar gets bigger, your vision gets worse.
Visudyne is activated (goes to work) by a special laser light that is applied to the affected eye in a process called photodynamic therapy. Therapy with Visudyne consists of a two-step process:
First, your doctor will inject Visudyne into your arm. The drug travels through your blood stream and Visudyne collects in the blood vessels that supply the macula.
About 15 minutes after the injection is started, your physician will shine a cool laser into the affected part of the retina for approximately 90 seconds. You cannot feel the light from the laser. The light of the laser will activate the drug, which in turn works to stop the leakage of abnormal blood vessels in the eye. The laser is designed to be gentle, so it won't burn or damage your eye.
A full course of therapy may require several treatments to help control your age-related macular degeneration.
