Progress of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy for ocular neovascular disease: benefits and challenges.
OBJECTIVE
This review aims to summarize the progress of current clinical studies in ocular angiogenesis treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy and to discuss the benefits and challenges of the treatment.


METHODS
Pubmed, Embase and the Cochrane Library were searched with no limitations of language and year of publication.


METHODS
Clinical trials and case studies presented at medical conferences and published in peer-reviewed literature in the past decade were reviewed.


RESULTS
Anti-VEGF agents have manifested great potential and promising outcomes in treating ocular neovascularization, though some of them are still used as off-label drugs. Intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF agents could be accompanied by devastating ocular or systemic complications, and intimate monitoring in both adult and pediatric population are warranted. Future directions should be focused on carrying out more well-designed large-scale controlled trials, promoting sustained duration of action, developing safer and more efficient generation of anti-VEGF agents.


CONCLUSIONS
Anti-VEGF treatment has proved to be beneficial in treating both anterior and posterior neovascular ocular diseases. However, more safer and affordable antiangiogenic agencies and regimens are warranted to be explored.
Department of Ophthalmology, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, School of Shanghai Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China. Email: jianjiangxu@126.com.
Jianjiang
J
Xu
Department of Ophthalmology, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, School of Shanghai Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
Yimin
Y
Li
Department of Ophthalmology, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, School of Shanghai Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
Jiaxu
J
Hong
D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D005123:Eye / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C495058:pegaptanib; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000069579:Ranibizumab