Say goodbye to the trouble of mid-infiltration, anti-VEGF drug treatment helps restore vision

Author: Tian Bei, Chief Physician, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University

Reviewer: Wan Weiqing, Chief Physician, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University

In the field of modern ophthalmology, central exudative chorioretinopathy (CER) is a common fundus disease, and its treatment strategy and effect have attracted much attention. The main feature of CER is the appearance of new blood vessels in the macular area, accompanied by bleeding and exudation, which seriously affects the patient's vision and visual quality. In recent years, the application of anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) drugs has become an important means of treating CER, bringing new hope for treatment for patients with CER.

Anti-VEGF drugs are an important weapon in the treatment of mesothelioma. They inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor, prevent the abnormal proliferation of new blood vessels, reduce exudation and bleeding, and thus stabilize or even improve the patient's vision.

Commonly used anti-VEGF drugs include ranibizumab, aflibercept and conbercept. These drugs have been included in the national medical insurance catalogue, which greatly improves the accessibility of treatment while also reducing the financial burden on patients.

Figure 1 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

The process of treating intraocular osmosis with anti-VEGF drugs is relatively simple and delicate. In general, the initial step of treating intraocular osmosis usually involves a single intraocular injection, which is completed in the operating room to ensure a sterile environment and reduce the risk of infection. Before the injection, the patient needs to receive prophylactic antibiotic eye drops to further reduce the occurrence of complications. The entire injection process is quick and relatively painless, taking only about five minutes. Gauze is covered immediately after the operation, and antibiotic eye drops are continued for the next three days to consolidate the therapeutic effect.

Figure 2 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

Most patients show good sensitivity to the drug after injection of anti-VEGF drugs, and the new blood vessels will be significantly improved or reduced. However, treatment is not achieved overnight, and some patients may need multiple injections to achieve the best effect. Therefore, doctors recommend that patients return for a follow-up visit one month after the injection to evaluate the changes in new blood vessels and the absorption of active lesions through fundus examination. If the lesions are not completely stable, additional injections may be required until the condition is effectively controlled.

The effect of anti-VEGF drug treatment varies from person to person, mainly depending on the severity of the disease and the timing of treatment. For patients with early detection and small lesions, timely treatment can restore vision more ideally, and some patients can even achieve a normal vision level of 1.0. However, if the disease is delayed to the late stage, the lesions are large and have involved the central area of ​​the macula, even if the lesions are reduced after treatment, poor vision recovery may occur due to impaired macular function. Therefore, early detection and early treatment are crucial to improve the rate of vision recovery.

Patients with moderate osmosis often have symptoms of distorted vision, which is caused by abnormal proliferation of new blood vessels in the macular area. Anti-VEGF drugs can alleviate this symptom to a certain extent by inhibiting the formation of new blood vessels. However, it should be noted that not all patients' distorted vision can completely disappear. After treatment, although the new blood vessels of most patients tend to stabilize or shrink, a small amount of new blood vessels may still remain, resulting in a certain degree of distorted vision. For these patients, if the treatment no longer affects their normal life, it can be considered that the treatment is effective; if the quality of life is still affected after treatment, the treatment plan needs to be further evaluated.

Although anti-VEGF drug injection is a minimally invasive ophthalmic surgery, some patients may still experience mild discomfort after surgery, such as redness, soreness or tearing of the eyes. These symptoms are mostly caused by disinfectant irritation or original corneal lesions, and can usually be relieved in the short term by applying eye protection drugs. If the symptoms persist or worsen, such as a significant decrease in vision, you should seek medical attention in time to rule out other complications.