Since revealing the key role of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of intraocular vascular and inflammatory diseases, anti-VEGF drugs have created an evolution in their treatment. This study aimed to investigate the short-term safety and efficacy of ziv-aflibercept, which is an anti-VEGF anticancer drug, in the treatment of choroidal and retinal vascular diseases.

Thirty-four eyes of 29 patients with ocular vascular disease received a single dose intravitreal injection of 0.05ml ziv-aflibercept (1.25mg) after obtaining informed consents. Intravenous fluorescein angiography was performed initially. At baseline, 1 week and 1 month after injection, intraocular pressure (IOP) and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) were recorded and routine ophthalmic examinations were performed. In addition, eyes were explored for progression of lens opacities, ocular inflammation, and the retinal structure changes using spectral domain optical coherence tomography at 1 week and 1 month after injection.

The diagnosis was diabetic macular edema in 20 eyes (58.8%), age-related macular degeneration in 8 (23.5%), and retinal vein occlusion in 6 eyes (17.7%). At one month after treatment, the overall mean CDVA and IOP appeared almost unchanged compared to baseline (P=0.09 and P=0.71, respectively). Mean central macular thickness significantly decreased from 531.09 ?m to 339.5 ?m (P <0.001) and the percentage of cases with cystoid macular edema reduced from 61.8% to 14.7%. No signs of side effects such as inflammation, lens opacity progression, or complications of injection such as infection or retinal detachment were observed in any subject at 1 week and 1 month after intravitreal injection of ziv-aflibercept.

Our study results showed that a single dose intravitreal injection of ziv-aflibercept can have acceptable short-term safety and efficacy in the treatment of patients with intraocular vascular disease.