History and Basic Principles of Photodynamic Therapy Use in Ophthalmology

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a therapy that uses drugs, called photosensitizers or photosensitizing agents, and a specific type of light. When photosensitizers are exposed to certain wavelengths of light, they produce oxygen that kills nearby cells. PDT is achieved by a photodynamic reaction induced by the excitation of a photosensitizer exposed to light. In the field of ophthalmology, PDT was approved for the first time about ten years ago for cases of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a vision-threatening disease characterized by pathological macular neovascularization. After that, PDT was approved for use in choroidal neovascularization (CNV) cases in pathological myopia.3 This literature review aims to describe the history of PDT use and the basic principles of photodynamic therapy in ophthalmology.

A Literature Review on High-Performance Photocatalysts for Sustainable Cancer Therapy

Since cancer is a serious threat to public health worldwide, the development of novel methods and materials for treating cancer rapidly and thoroughly is of great significance. This review summarizes the mechanism and application of photocatalytic materials used to kill cancer cells. The photosensitivity and toxicological properties of several common photcatalysts used in anti-cancer treatment are discussed in detail. The ideal photocatalyst must possess the following characteristics: a highly stable production of active oxygen species and high selectivity to cancer cells without causing any damage to healthy tissues. This work concluded the existing photocatalytic materials used to treat cancer, as well as the current challenges in the application of cancer therapy. We aim to provide a basis for the development of new photocatalytic anti-cancer materials with high stability and selectivity while maintaining high photodynamic reaction performance.