title: The Role of Anti-VEGF Therapy in the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema.
abstract: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. DR often leads to diabetic macular edema (DME), which often goes unnoticed until a patient presents with vision loss. However, treatment options and data for DME are continually improving. We know that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a key role in DME progression; therapies that act by inhibiting VEGF production seem to improve visual acuity in patients with DME. Of the anti-VEGF therapies available, two have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat DME: ranibizumab (Lucentis; Genentech, South San Francisco, CA) and aflibercept (Eylea; Regeneron, Tarrytown, NY). Bevacizumab (Avastin; Genentech, South San Francisco, CA), which is approved for the treatment of certain types of cancer, is occasionally used off-label to treat DME. Anti-VEGF therapy can stop vision loss and even improve visual acuity. Other treatments remain effective, and these various treatment options fuel a need for new data and discussion. This roundtable discussion, which took place during the 2015 annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, outlines the current protocols used to treat DME and provides clinical opinions about selecting and treating with an appropriate anti-VEGF therapy. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2016;47:S5-14.].
authors.forename: Darius M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Moshfeghi
authors.forename: Peter K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Michels
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Midena
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kitchens
authors.forename: Jonathan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Prenner
authors.forename: Carl D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Regillo
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reichel
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C533178:aflibercept; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D000069579:Ranibizumab