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PURPOSE: To investigate the morphological and hypotensive effect of contact transscleral ciliary body PDT in pigmented rabbit eyes. METHODS: The right eyes of 33 pigmented rabbits were irradiated using chloraluminum sulfonated phthalocynaine as photosensitizer and a diode laser (670 nm) as the light source. Twenty-five animals received a single treatment. Eight animals received a second treatment 13 days after the first one. Photosensitizer was administered by means of continuous intravenous infusion. The ciliary body was irradiated transsclerally by means of an optic fiber applied on the corneoscleral limbus. In all cases, 16-16 laser applications were performed to cover 360° of the ciliary body. The animals were followed for a maximum of 30 days by means of tonometry and biomicroscopy. Retreatments were performed using the same irradiation protocol. At the end of the follow-up, the animals were sacrificed and their eyes prepared for light and electron microscopy. RESULTS: Transscleral ciliary body PDT resulted in significant but temporary reduction of IOP in all cases. The effect lasted for about two weeks. Retreatment led to a new significant drop in IOP, which again lasted for about two weeks. On histological examination, the initial effect was vascular thrombosis, followed by edema and disintegration of the ciliary epithelial layers. In all cases, the appearance of the ciliary body had returned to normal 15 days after irradiation. CONCLUSION: Contact transscleral PDT with the treatment parameters used in this study results in significant but temporary functional and morphological alteration in the ciliary body of pigmented rabbits.
Dr. M.K. Tsilimbaris, University of Crete Medical School, Vardinoyannion Eye Institute, Crete, Greece
12.11 Cyclodialysis (Part of: 12 Surgical treatment)