Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy for Radiation Retinopathy

The purpose of this article is to review the role of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy in treating patients with radiation retinopathy (RR).RR can be associated with a significant decrease in visual acuity (VA) related to the development of cystoid macular edema, macular ischemia, and proliferative retinopathy leading to neovascular glaucoma.Anti-VEGF therapy is effective at stabilizing VA in around 80% of patients and achieving reductions in central macular thickness when it is administered using a constant algorithm. Furthermore, consistent prophylactic anti-VEGF therapy reduces the risk of development of RR, neovascularization of the iris, and neovascularization glaucoma.Future studies are needed to determine the optimal regimen for anti-VEGF therapy according to patient risk factors and likelihood of developing RR. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2020;51:S44-S49.].