title: Comparison of the effects of bevacizumab and ranibizumab injection on corneal angiogenesis in an alkali burn induced model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of bevacizumab and ranibizumab on corneal neovascularization in an alkali burn-induced model of corneal angiogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen Wistar albino rats were divided randomly into 3 groups after chemical cauterization of the cornea. The first group received a single dose of 0.1mL saline solution as a control group whereas second and third groups received a single dose of 2.5mg bevacizumab or 1mg ranibizumab by subconjunctival injection, respectively. After three weeks, the rat corneas were evaluated by biomicroscopy and corneal photographs were taken. The percentage of neovascularization area, length of the longest new vessel, corneal edema and corneal opacity scores were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis of digital photographs showed that the percentage of neovascularization area to the total corneal area, the length of the longest new vessel, corneal edema and opacity scores were significantly lower in both study groups compared to the control group (P<0.05). Additionally, the percentage of corneal neovascularization area, the length of the longest new vessel and corneal opacity score were less with bevacizumab than ranibizumab.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subconjunctival bevacizumab and ranibizumab treatments may be effective methods in reducing corneal neovascularization. Furthermore, bevacizumab is more effective than ranibizumab in the inhibition of corneal neovascularization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dursun
authors.forename: Mustafa Kemal
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Arici
authors.forename: Feyza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dursun
authors.forename: Ayse Vural
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Ozec
authors.forename: Mustafa Ilker
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Toker
authors.forename: Haydar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.forename: Aysen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Topalkara