Visudyne

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Visudyne (also known as Verteporfin) is a medication used in the treatment of certain types of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), pathologic myopia, and ocular histoplasmosis. It is a type of photosensitizer used in photodynamic therapy (PDT).

History[edit | edit source]

Visudyne was approved by the FDA in the United States in 2000. It was the first drug approved for the treatment of wet AMD, a leading cause of vision loss in older adults.

Mechanism of Action[edit | edit source]

Visudyne is administered intravenously and activated by light of a specific wavelength. This activation leads to the production of reactive oxygen species, which damage the abnormal blood vessels in the retina that are associated with conditions like AMD.

Uses[edit | edit source]

Visudyne is used in the treatment of:

Side Effects[edit | edit source]

Common side effects of Visudyne include:

  • Injection site reactions
  • Visual disturbances
  • Photosensitivity reactions

Contraindications[edit | edit source]

Visudyne is contraindicated in patients with porphyria or known hypersensitivity to any component of the formulation.

See Also[edit | edit source]


Wiki.png

Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD


Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.

Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.


Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD