Efficacy of Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Therapy for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Abstract

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs are used for various diseases with abnormal proliferation of blood vessels. The use of these drugs in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has proven to be highly effective. Various factors contribute to the efficacy of these drugs in different settings. Many studies have proven that these drugs effectively slow disease progress and improve visual outcomes. Factors contributing to the success or failure of the treatment include the genetic makeup of the patient, comorbidities, compliance with the clinic visits and injections, long-term follow-up for the treatment, socioeconomic status, and availability of different drugs. The treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) has been revolutionized after the introduction of anti-VEGF therapy. However, there are still some gaps in the literature that require the attention of the researchers. Our literature review has evaluated anti-VEGF use over the years and analyzed the efficiency of drugs in different settings. It showed that all the anti-VEGF drugs depict similar visual results for one to two years. The long-term evaluation of any drug cannot be commented on yet and needs further evidence through different research. These drugs improve visual function and the anatomical results of patients with other eye problems. These drugs' adverse effects are rare but still an important point requiring further research. Clinical outcomes of the drugs must be ascertained through patients' eyes to assess the quality of life improvement appropriately. The cost-effectiveness of the drugs is a substantial debatable topic, as bevacizumab is cost-effective but still requires Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.

Keywords: age-related macular degeneration (amd); amd; anti-vegf therapy; benefits of anti-vegf therapy; management of cnv in amd.

Figure 1. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) diagram of the method adopted to include/exclude studies for the review