Ranibizumab for diabetic retinopathy.

Ranibizumab (Lucentis) is a Fab-Antibody with high affinity for VEGF, and is being designed to bind to all VEGF isoforms. This quality makes it a powerful drug for VEGF inhibition. Diseases of retinal and choroidal blood vessels are the most prevalent causes of moderate and severe vision loss in developed countries.

Diabetic retinopathy and angiogenesis.

Diabetic retinopathy, a secondary microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of blindness in the Unites States amongst individuals age 20 to 64. Two major retinal problems cause most of the diabetes-related vision loss: diabetic macular edema and complications from abnormal retinal blood vessel growth, angiogenesis. Secondary to angiogenesis, increased retinal blood flow is of pathogenic importance in the progression of diabetic retinopathy.

Metabolic control and diabetic retinopathy.

The Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) identified important risk factors for progression to high risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) including retinopathy severity, decreased visual acuity, and high levels of hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c). Additional risk factors for progression to PDR are decreased hematocrit and increased serum lipids. The long-term benefit of improving glycemic control was evaluated by three large studies: the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT), the Stockholm Interventional Study, and the UK prospective study.

Functional and anatomical outcomes for intravitreal bevacizumab treatment of choroidal neovascularization in a patient with angioid streaks.

Purpose: To evaluate the visual and anatomical outcomes of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin; Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA) treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in patients with angioid streaks (ASs).

Methods: A 44-year-old man with angioid streaks and CNV in both eyes (best-corrected visual acuity: 20/400, right eye; 20/50, left eye) received intravitreal bevacizumab injections at monthly intervals.

Preliminary results of combined simultaneous transpupillary thermotherapy and ICG-based photodynamic therapy for choroidal melanoma.

Background And Objective: To evaluate whether the combination of simultaneous hyperthermia by transpupillary thermotherapy and indocyanine green-based photodynamic therapy is an effective treatment for small and medium choroidal melanomas.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-five patients with small and medium choroidal melanomas were treated with combined simultaneous transpupillary thermotherapy and indocyanine green-based photodynamic therapy.

Results: The median age of the 25 patients was 64 years (range, 35 to 88 years).

Anti-macular degeneration agents.

Anti-VEGF therapy is a promising new avenue for the treatment of ocular neovascular diseases. Early preclinical data and recent clinical data support the efficacy and safety of several novel anti-VEGF for NVAMD. Whether these novel biologics are used on their own, in combination with previously available therapies, or with newly developing therapies, they represent a new avenue in treatment.

Fishing-related ocular trauma.

Purpose: To evaluate the characteristics of fishing-related ocular injuries.

Design: Retrospective observational analysis of a computerized databank.

Methods: The United States Eye Injury Registry was used to analyze 143 patients with fishing-related ocular injury.