Ocular Anti-VEGF Therapy for Diabetic Retinopathy: Overview of Clinical Efficacy and Evolving Applications

Ocular anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy represents one of the most significant advances in modern medicine. The introduction and widespread use of ocular anti-VEGF therapy for age-related macular degeneration heralded a new era in the treatment of vascular and exudative diseases of the retina. Its expanding indications now include diabetic macular edema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, two vision-threatening forms of diabetic retinopathy. It is widely anticipated that ocular anti-VEGF therapy could spark a dramatic shift in the treatment paradigm for diabetic retinopathy. However, despite its clear efficacy shown in clinical trials, the dynamic landscape of evolving medical, ethical, and economic issues related to this new treatment suggests significant challenges ahead. In this article, we provide a discussion of this topic as part of this two-part Bench to Clinic narrative. Here, our Clinic contribution provides an overview of the current evidence from clinical trials on anti-VEGF therapy for diabetic retinopathy, and highlights the hopes and fears of this new treatment from clinical and public health standpoints. In the Bench narrative that precedes this contribution, Simo et al. provide an overview of the role of VEGF in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.