Anti-VEGF Therapy for Diabetic Eye Diseases

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness in the working-age population. The identification of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a key mediator in the pathogenesis of DR has revolutionized the management of this vision-threatening disease. There is now strong evidence supporting intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy as first line in the management of sight-threatening diabetic macular edema (DME), along with a growing body of evidence to support the use of anti-VEGF drugs for proliferative DR. This review summarizes the role of VEGF in DR, the evidence for anti-VEGF therapy, safety considerations, and the future of anti-VEGF therapy for the management of DR.