Bibliometric and visual analysis of retinal fibrosis research from 1993 to 2023

Retinal fibrosis, a common pathological feature of various retinal diseases, significantly impairs vision. The mechanisms of retinal fibrosis are complex, with cytokine involvement playing a pivotal role. This article aims to elucidate the current research trends and key areas of focus in the study of retinal fibrosis.

Publications from "Web of Science core collection", "PubMed" and "Scopus" were analyzed using R Studio ("Bibliometrix" and "ggplot2" packages) for publication counts, geographic distribution, and collaborations, while "CiteSpace" and "VOSviewer" visualized institutional partnerships and keyword co-occurrence. The methodology follows the PRISMA 2020 guidelines strictly.

In this analysis, a total of 1985 studies were analyzed. Key topics included "vitrectomy", "epiretinal membrane", "optical coherence tomography (OCT)", "macular membrane", and "macular hole". Keyword co-occurrence analysis emphased macular disease, fibrosis diagnosis, pharmacological treatment, and prognosis across various groups with cytokines as prominent research topics. Additionally, the findings suggested future research would focus on elucidating fibrosis mechanisms, advancing diagnostic techniques, and identifying potential drug targets. The journal "Retina" had the highest citation count for retinal fibrosis. The United States showed the greatest collaboration in retinal fibrosis research, particularly with China.

Current retinal fibrosis research focused on OCT diagnostics, cytokine mechanisms, and associated diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration. Future research will explore the integration of artificial intelligence in treatment strategies and the mechanisms underlying post-anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injection fibrosis.