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World J Exp Med. Dec 20, 2024; 14(4): 99235
Published online Dec 20, 2024. doi: 10.5493/wjem.v14.i4.99235
Intravitreal therapy for the management of diabetic retinopathy: A concise review
Atul Arora, Arvind K Morya, Parul C Gupta, Nitin K Menia, Prateek Nishant, Vishali Gupta
Atul Arora, Teleophthalmology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, Punjab, India
Arvind K Morya, Department of Ophthalmology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad 508126, Telangana, India
Parul C Gupta, Vishali Gupta, Department of Ophthalmology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh 160012, Punjab, India
Nitin K Menia, Department of Ophthalmology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Vijaypur 180001, Jammu and Kashmīr, India
Prateek Nishant, Department of Ophthalmology, ESIC Medical College, Patna 801103, Bihār, India
Co-first authors: Atul Arora and Parul C Gupta.
Author contributions: Morya AK and Gupta PC designed the review – article; Arora A, Menia NK, and Morya AK wrote the manuscript; Gupta V provided the original – images; Morya AK and Arora A edited the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Arvind K Morya, Doctor, MNAMS, MS, Academic Editor, Professor, Science Editor, Senior Lecturer, Senior Researcher, Surgeon, Department of Ophthalmology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bibi Nagar, Hyderabad 508126, Telangana, India. bulbul.morya@gmail.com
Received: July 17, 2024
Revised: September 8, 2024
Accepted: September 20, 2024
Published online: December 20, 2024
Processing time: 105 Days and 16.3 Hours
Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a serious microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus and may result in irreversible visual loss. Laser treatment has been the gold standard treatment for diabetic macular edema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy for many years. Of late, intravitreal therapy has emerged as a cornerstone in the management of DR. Among the diverse pharmacotherapeutic options, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents have demonstrated remarkable efficacy by attenuating neovascularization and reducing macular edema, thus preserving visual acuity in DR patients.

Keywords: Diabetic retinopathy; Intravitreal therapy; Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor; Macular edema; Proliferative diabetic-retinopathy

Core Tip: Intravitreal therapy has revolutionized the treatment for diabetic retinopathy (DR). The various treatment options include intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections, triamcinolone acetonide and steroid implants. Intravitreal therapy can be used for the management of Diabetic Macular Edema and Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy. Additionally, corticosteroids have shown promising results by exerting anti-inflammatory effects and stabilizing blood-retinal barrier integrity. Recent advancements have introduced novel agents targeting various pathways implicated in DR pathogenesis, such as angiopoietin-2 and integrins, offering potential avenues for tailored therapeutic interventions. This review aims to comprehensively examine diverse facets of intravitreal therapy concerning the management of DR and its associated complications.