Retinal vein occlusion: An eye on VEGF

Abstract

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a leading cause of visual impairment across the globe, being the second most common vascular disease affecting the eye and threatening vision. The development of RVO is affected by a multitude of risk factors and pathomechanisms that result in vessel occlusion, macular edema, neovascularization and its complications. The diagnosis of RVO nowadays can be readily made by full ophthalmic examination and other investigational techniques. The relatively recent understanding of the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of neovascularization and macular edema has revolutionized our understanding of the disease pathophysiology and the development of new drugs targeting this pathway. The development of anti-VEGF therapies has defined a new era of sight saving therapy, but there are still many patients with visual loss. This paper will discuss the new role of VEGF and its inhibition in the management of RVO.