Acute vision loss associated with retinal circulatory disturbances after||intravitreal injection of bevacizumab

Jinho Yim

Bevacizumab (Avastin; Genentech Inc., San Francisco, California, USA) is a monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein, and inhibits angiogenesis. It has been widely used to treat ocular choroidal neovascularization (CNV), and recently for secondary ocular ischemic states such as central retinal artery/vein occlusion (CRAO/CRVO), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and ocular ischemic syndrome (OIS).1-3 Intravitreal/intracameral injection of bevacizumab has been reported as another treatment option for patients with various ocular ischemic conditions. However, the indications and optimal dosages of bevacizumab injection have not been determined, and among the several limitations to these reports are the short follow-up and the various associated conditions of patients with ocular and systemic ischemia.
We report acute vision loss associated with retinal circulatory disturbance after an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab in patients with ocular and systemic ischemia, and suggest risk factors that may be associated with acute vision loss.