Bevacizumab for the Treatment of Corneal Neovascularization

Corneal neovascularization (NV) is a severe complication associated with inflammatory or infectious disorders of the cornea. NV may lead to severe reduction in visual acuity and poor prognosis for corneal transplantation and excimer laser refractive surgery. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent angiogenic factor, has been reported to play a major role in the pathogenesis of corneal NV. Use of an anti-VEGF antibody would seem a theoretically plausible means for treating corneal NV Recently, bevacizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against VEGF, has been reported significantly to inhibit choroidoretinal NV. Several animal and human studies have also reported beneficial effects of bevacizumab against corneal NV; both topical and subconjunctival application were effective. Nonetheless, optimal dosage, route of administration, and possible complications are yet to be fully characterized. This review summarizes the relevant literature and formulates several key questions to guide future use of bevacizumab in the treatment of corneal NV.