Proliferative vitreoretinopathy and chemotherapeutic agents

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a disease process that occurs in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachments and accounts for the majority of failures following retinal detachment surgery. PVR involves the uncontrolled proliferation of non-neoplastic cells capable of forming membranes, which may occur on either surface of the retina or along the detached surface of the vitreous gel. Contraction of these membranes creates tractional forces that can distort or detach the retina. Various surgical procedures have been used to repair retinal detachments associated with PVR. The results have not been encouraging in many instances. Recent efforts have been directed toward the chemical inhibition of cellular proliferation in PVR. The majority of drugs used in these studies have been antineoplastic agents that affect various phases in the cycle of cell growth.