Intravitreal Bevacizumab Injection and Treatment Regimens in Macular Edema Due to Central Retinal Vein Occlusion

Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is the second most common vascular disease leading cause of vision loss together with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) after diabetic retinopathy (DR). Vision loss due to CRVO is commonly caused by macular edema and multiple treatment modalities have been used to treat macular edema. In clinical practice, VEGF inhibitors are now the first-line treatment offered to patients who have CRVO with macular edema. The two agents approved by the FDA for the treatment of macular edema are aflibercept and ranibizumab. Bevacizumab is another VEGF inhibitor that has been used off-label to treat macular edema. Several studies have demonstrated that bevacizumab is effective in improving vision and decreasing central macular thickness when used in patients with macular edema due to central retinal vein occlusions. In the current review, the treatment options will be evaluated briefly and the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab will be discussed in greater detail.