Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new treatment modality for exudative forms of age-related maculopathy. It can be combined with others types of selective or conventional laser therapy. Imaging and functional testing with the scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) are important for detailed diagnostic information as well as for the interpretation of the long term outcome of different treatment strategies. For example, infrared imaging in a confocal mode superbly outlines areas of minimal edema due to slow leakage and switching of wavelengths enables simultaneous and repeated angiographic studies of the retina with the same instrument. Visual acuities are strongly influenced by background illuminance and binocular fixation patterns, and absolute but not incremental microperimetric thresholds measure correctly the functional status of the photoreceptor-pigment epithelium complex. The scanning laser ophthalmoscope has been adapted for use as a delivery system in microphotocoagulation and photodynamic therapy. A non- scanning external therapeutic laser source uses the same Maxwellian view entrance location into the eye as the SLO. Advantages include a non-contact delivery, fixation control, registration of treatment locations, and the possibility to spatially modulate the area being treated.

Date Published: 7 June 2000
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 3908, Ophthalmic Technologies X, (7 June 2000); doi: 10.1117/12.387528

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3908:
Ophthalmic Technologies X
Pascal O. Rol; Karen Margaret Joos M.D.; Fabrice Manns, Editor(s)