Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026
Subretinal Injection of Gene Therapy Vectors and Stem Cells in the Perinatal Mouse Eye
Published on: November 25, 2012
Intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for retinopathy of prematurity
Kazuki Kuniyoshi1, Koji Sugioka, Hiroyuki Sakuramoto
1Department of Ophthalmology, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, 589-8511, Japan, kuniyoshi-kazuki@umin.net.
Purpose:
To evaluate the outcomes of intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (IVB) for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
Methods:
IVB was selected to be the first treatment for type 1 ROP in 8 eyes (4 patients). Bevacizumab (0.25 mg/eye) was injected into the vitreous cavity under either general anesthesia or sedation. Fundus photography and fluorescein angiography were performed before the IVB. One infant was observed to the age of 1 year 6 months, the second to 1 year 9 months, the third to 1 year 10 months, and the fourth to 2 years 0 month.
Results:
Before the IVB, 6 eyes (3 patients) had ROP in zone II and 2 eyes (one patient) had ROP in zone I. The 3 infants with ROP in zone II weighed 652, 476, and 579 g with gestational ages of 24, 27, and 24 weeks at birth, respectively. The infant with ROP in zone I weighed 972 g with a gestational age of 26 weeks at birth. IVB was performed at postmenstrual ages of 33-37 weeks. The IVB was effective in all eyes with ROP in zone II and additional treatment was not required, whereas vitreous hemorrhage and cataract were found at 19 weeks and 5 months after the initial IVB in the two eyes with ROP in zone I. These two eyes required additional IVB, laser photocoagulation, and surgery.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that eyes with type 1 ROP in zone II can be treated with IVB. Further studies are needed with a larger number of eyes.
