International Review of Ophthalmology

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Research and application of photobiomodulation of rod cells for diabetic retinopathy

Chen Zhiqing1, Liu Haipeng2, Zheng Dingchang2   

  1. 1 Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Hangzhou 310009, China; 2 Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, United Kingdom
  • Received:2019-06-25 Online:2019-12-22 Published:2019-12-26
  • Contact: Chen Zhiqing, Email：chenzhiqing@zju.edu.cn

Abstract:

Diabetic retinopathy（DR）is a leading cause of blindness among working\|age adults. Currently there is no effective treatment for DR. Studies have proved that dark adaptation of rod cells could worsen DR by enhancing the oxidation stress and hypoxia in inner retina. Recently, a new biophysical treatment of DR has been proposed based on the photobiomodulation of rod cells. With continuous photobiomodulation in dark environment, the activity of rod cells could be inhibited to decrease the harm to retina. This treatment has been shown to be effective in in\|vitro cell and in\|vivo animal experiments. Recent clinical trials have also preliminarily validated its effectiveness, leading to the conclusion that this new method could provide an alternative for DR treatment.(Int Rev Ophthalmol, 2019, 43: 373-376)