Evolving practice patterns in treatment of major retinal diseases in Singapore.

Dear Editor, Neovascular (“wet”) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME) and retinal vein occlusion (RVO) are amongst the most common causes of blindness.1-3 Traditionally, these conditions were treated with thermal laser photocoagulation, however, the advent of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has revolutionised the treatment of these diseases.1,4,5 These anti-VEGF agents (ranibizumab and bevacizumab) aim to stop retinal angiogenesis and reduce macular oedema. Numerous trials have evaluated the effi cacy of these treatments in western populations, however, there are no clear guidelines for antiVEGF use in Asian countries where the pattern of retinal disease is different. This study surveyed the current practice patterns of ophthalmologists in Singapore with regards to the use of anti-VEGF and established therapies for the management of 3 major retinal disease: AMD, DME and central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).