A Systematic Review of the Treat and Extend Treatment Regimen with Anti-VEGF Agents for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Despite significant progress in retaining vision for neovascular age-related macular degeneration patients in the era of treatment with intravitreal anti-VEGF agents, there is no universally accepted treatment regimen that defines the frequency of treatment needed to achieve the optimal visual outcomes while simultaneously balancing the burden of long-term, frequent and high-cost treatment. Treat and extend has recently and consistently been used by retina specialists to minimise the financial and psychological costs of the need for frequent treatment with anti-VEGF injections. This is a systematic review that presents evidence from clinical trials and the real world on the utilisation of treat and extend with anti-VEGF intravitreal injections in neovascular age-related macular degeneration, and discusses the experience gained thus far from the utilisation of such regimens to preserve vision when treating patients over the long-term.