Influence factors and strategies of anti-VEGF therapy for wet AMD

Abstract

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration is also known as wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD), which is now one of potentially blinding diseases in elder population worldwide.The application of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs is becoming the first-line therapy for wAMD at present.However, during the long-term follow up, we find that the vision of some patients dose not improve even falls after treatment, or the vision is unable to keep for a long term after its improvement.Hence, to find the key factors that affect the therapeutical effect is the focus issue nowadays.There are many factors that affect wAMD curative effect, including the limitation of drug itself, the personal conditions of the patients, the features of the choriodal neovascularization (CNV), the formulation and implementation of the treatment regimen, etc.Imaging features of CNV and treatment timing can serve as the available indexs to analyze the prognosis.In addition, reasonable and optimized managing regimens for wAMD probably is an approach to improve the treating effect.Understanding of the factors that affect curative effect of wAMD is benefit for us to setup the individualized therapy and achieve the best vision.Ophthalmologists should fully recognize the importance of wAMD individualized treatment and management. Key words: Wet macular degeneration/drug therapy; Antibodies, monoclonal, humanized/therapeutic use; Angiogenesis inhibitors/therapeutic use; Vascular endothelial growth factor A/antagonists i Intravitreal injection; Treatment outcomes; Influencing factors; Strategies