Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate the effect of repeated intracorneal bevacizumab on inflammatory corneal neovascularization.
Methods: :
Six patients with corneal neovascularization were treated with intracorneal injections of 5mg bevacizumab. All patients had persistent corneal neovascularization for at least 10 months unresponsive to other treatments. Patients were monitored by ophthalmic exam, anterior segment photography and corneal fluorescein angiography (FA). Each patient completed a minimum follow-up of 12 months.
Results: :
All eyes showed at least partial regression of the corneal neovascularization. Mean size of the neovascularization as measured by corneal FA regressed from 3.07± 0.87 mm² from baseline to 1.74±0.79 mm² at 12 months follow-up. Eyes being without intracorneal bevacizumab injections for more than 6 weeks showed partial regression of the corneal neovascularization. There was no evidence of any severe corneal or systemic adverse events.
Conclusions: :
Intracorneal bevacizumab showed promising effects in inflammatory neovascularization of the cornea unresponsive to other treatment. Anti-VEGF therapy might become a valuable treatment option for corneal neovascularization.
Keywords: cornea: clinical science • neovascularization