title: Topical bevacizumab for neovascular glaucoma: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bevacizumab (Avastin), an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drug, has been successfully used in recent years to treat ocular pathologies, mostly by intravitreal administration. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of topically applied bevacizumab for the treatment of neovascular glaucoma (NVG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with NVG were treated with topical bevacizumab (25 mg/ml) 4 times daily during 2 weeks. The following parameters were evaluated at baseline and on days 3, 7 and 14: visual acuity, slit-lamp examination, intraocular pressure (IOP), heart rate and systemic blood pressure. Iris neovascularization was documented using slit-lamp color photos at baseline and on day 14.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight eyes of 8 patients with NVG were evaluated. After the 2-week treatment, mean IOP was lowered from 34.9 mm Hg (SD 12.8) at baseline to 28.8 mm Hg (SD 9.9) on day 14, representing a mean reduction of 6.1 mm Hg (17.5%). Three patients had clinical regression of their iris neovascularization. Ocular adverse events were transient and included mild upper eyelid swelling, mild exacerbation of superficial punctate keratitis and mild corneal epithelial bullae in an already edematous cornea. There were no serious systemic adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topical application of bevacizumab may lower IOP and result in regression of neovascularization in patients with NVG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Medical Center (affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University), Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waisbourd
authors.forename: Gabi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shemesh
authors.forename: Shimon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurtz
authors.forename: Rony
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rachmiel
authors.forename: Elad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moisseiev
authors.forename: Shiri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zayit-Soudri
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loewenstein
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barequet
mesh_terms: D060433:Administration, Ophthalmic; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015355:Glaucoma, Neovascular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D007498:Iris / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab