Open research questions in Retinal Diseases and Treatments

What the literature leaves open

• These results support the clinical value of posttreatment OCT assessment of retinal microstructure, while suggesting that a single measurement of SFCT or CVI after edema resolution may provide limited information regarding concurrent visual function.

  Retinal Layer Integrity, Choroidal Vascularity Index, and Visual Acuity After Resolution of Diabetic Macular Edema · 2026 · DOI

• Baseline choroidal thickness and pretreatment CVI were not available, so longitudinal choroidal changes could not be evaluated. An important strength and contribution of this study is that it addresses a clinically relevant question that has not been well characterized in the existing literature: whether residual visual impairment after resolution of center-involved DME is associated predominantly with persistent retinal microstructural abnormalities or with posttreatment choroidal vascular parameters.

  Retinal Layer Integrity, Choroidal Vascularity Index, and Visual Acuity After Resolution of Diabetic Macular Edema · 2026 · DOI

• Abstract Background There is limited data available on the efficacy and safety of Transscleral Lutein Iontophoresis (TSLI) in patients with intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD) and reticular pseudodrusen (RPD).

  Short-term efficacy and safety of transcleral lutein iontophoresis in patients with intermediate amd and reticular pseudodrusen: A retrospective study · 2026 · DOI

• While TBMN, which is primarily autosomal dominant, involves mutations in glomerular basement membrane genes, its exact underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

  Diagnostic value of OCT-based temporal macular retinal thinning in children with hereditary glomerular diseases · 2026 · DOI

• Subretinal photovoltaic implants provide central vision to patients blinded by atrophic age-related macular degeneration, with acuity limited by their 100-{micro}m pixels.

  Titanium and platinum coatings reduce inflammation induced by gold on subretinal prosthesis · 2026 · DOI

• On the other hand, the precise molecular mechanisms by which curcumin regulates EndMT via the Hippo-YAP pathway remain unclear and warrant further investigation. Current treatment options, including laser photocoagulation, intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents, and corticosteroids, are primarily used in the advanced stages of DR, but they are limited by the need for repeated administration, high cost, and potential side effects.

  Curcumin protects the diabetic mouse retina by modulating the Hippo-YAP signaling pathway · 2026 · DOI

• Conclusions: HCPs appear to follow specific protocols and guidelines in the management of GA; however, a potential deficit in effective HCP–patient communication has been identified that should be investigated further.

  Clinician and Patient Perspectives of Geographic Atrophy Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Spain: A Preliminary Exploratory Study · 2026 · DOI

• Background/Objectives: The relationship between hyperuricemia and diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains controversial despite both conditions being associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction.

  Association of Hyperuricemia with the Onset and Progression of Type 2 Diabetic Retinopathy · 2026 · DOI

• Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with systemic microvascular dysfunction, yet the relationship between retinal changes and mineral metabolism disturbances across CKD treatment modalities remains incompletely characterized.

  Retinal Structural and Microvascular Findings on OCT and OCTA in Hemodialysis and Kidney Transplant Recipients and Their Association with Mineral Metabolism Parameters · 2026 · DOI

• Longer follow-up periods (beyond 24 months) are warranted to better evaluate the durability Standardized and quantitative imaging proto- cols, including OCT angiography and artificial- intelligence-assisted fluid quantification, could enhance the accuracy of anatomical assess- ments and facilitate the identification of early biomarkers predictive of good response.

  Real-Life 1-Year Results and Predictors of Visual Outcome with Intravitreal Faricimab for Treatment of Exudative Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration · 2026 · DOI

• Finally, the study used only the RS-1 Glauvas OCT system, and the findings may not be applicable to other OCT systems or devices. Therefore, AL correction may not be essential in routine clinical evaluation but could be beneficial in specific situations where precise quantitative assessment of retinal thickness is warranted.

  Axial length correction in retinal thickness measurements in diabetic retinopathy · 2026 · DOI

• and broad (>1,500 μm) [5]. Steel et al. [39] developed a more detailed classification system for VMT known as WISPERR. It includes seven parameters used to assess focal VMT, aiming to provide a more comprehensive description, which may have prognostic regarding spontaneous value resolution or progression to FTMH. The WISPERR algorithm includes the following components: W – width of vitreomacular attachment; I – interface between the retina and the vitreous cavity; S – shape; P – pigment epithelium; E – elevation of the retinal surface from the RPE; R1 – inner retina; and R2 – outer retina [39] (Figures 1–3). Fig. 1. Optical coherence tomography scan of the macula of the left eye, showing vitreomacular traction with loss of the foveal contour and intraretinal fluid Fig. 2. Optical coherence tomography scan of the left eye, showing non-complete posterior vitreous detachment with retinal fraction and elevation of the retinal surface from the retinal pigment epithelium of 537 μm 128 ANN. ACAD. MED. SILES. (online) 2026, 80, 124–132 Fig. 3. Optical coherence tomography scan of the left eye, showing a width of vitreomacular attachment of 473 μm Full-thickness macular hole to This is the final stage of VMI, in which VMT leads to a full-thickness disruption of all neurosensory retinal layers from the ILM to the RPE. The OCT criteria required to diagnose FTMH include visualization of a full-thickness defect involving all retinal layers on at least one B-scan OCT image [5]. FTMH can be classified according the updated Gass [40] classification, which divides FTMH into five stages, of which only the last three describe the macular hole, while the first two correspond to VMA (stage 0) and VMT (stage 1 – impending macular hole). Stage 3 re- fers to a small FTMH with a hole diameter of less than 250 μm. Stage 4 is a medium FTMH with a diameter between 250 and 400 μm. The final stage, stage 5, describes a large FTMH with a diameter greater than 400 μm [5,40]. Dynamic B-scan ultrasonic examination Dynamic B-scan ultrasonography is not the first-line diagnostic tool for detecting VMT. However, in cases where the vitreous or lens media are opaque, OCT imaging is impossible, or when OCT equipment is unavailable, ultrasonographic examination using 10- or 20-MHz probes can be a valuable alternative. In such cases, ultrasound may reveal a peripherally detached posterior hyaloid with persistent attachment over the posterior pole, allowing for an accurate assessment of the vitreoretinal interface [41].

  Understanding vitreomacular traction: Basic concepts and clinical implications · 2026 · DOI

• • Comparing treatments indirectly via NMA has limitations and cannot replace well-designed head-to-head randomized clinical trials. • Differences across the trials included in the analysis that may have influenced injection frequency and treatment outcomes were not accounted for in this NMA, such as differences in trial design, including the criteria for changing dosing intervals, and differences in the characteristics of patients included in the trials. • As the trials differed in duration (from 96–112 weeks), for purposes of this NMA the mean number of injections was adjusted to 104 weeks (i.e., 2 years) for all trials. • Please refer to the original article for further details on limitations. What are the implications of this study? • This indirect comparison of 2-year data from clinical trials of anti-VEGF medications found that aflibercept 8 mg required significantly fewer injections than faricimab T&E for both patients with DME and nAMD, whilst efficacy (in terms of changes in BCVA and CST) was similar for the 2 treatments. • Due to limitations of NMAs, the findings of this analysis should be considered exploratory. Clinical trials directly comparing aflibercept 8 mg and faricimab T&E would be required to confirm these conclusions. This study and summary of the study results was supported by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Based on the original article by Friedman S et al. Aflibercept 8 mg versus faricimab treat-and-extend for diabetic macular edema or neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a Bayesian fixed-effect network meta-analysis of clinical trials. Ophthalmol Ther. 2025;14(11):2919-2936. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40123-025-01247-3. Medical Writing, Editorial, and Other Assis- tance. Medical writing support was provided by Christopher Edge, PhD, and Rob Campbell, PhD, and editorial support was provided by Jess Fawcett, BSc, Isobel Markham, MSc, and Isabella Cannava, BA, all of the Prime group of compa‑ nies, London, UK, supported by Regeneron Phar‑ maceuticals, Inc. according to Good Publication Practice guidelines (Link). Author Contributions. Scott M. Friedman, Yingxin Xu, Steven Sherman, Andreas Kuznik, Ali Mojebi, Sam Keeping, Keith Chan, Theo‑ dore Leng, and Nimesh A. Patel all agreed to the development and submission of this Sum‑ mary of Research article, reviewed drafts, and approved the final version for publication. Funding. This study and summary of the study results were supported by Regeneron Phar‑ maceuticals, Inc. The sponsor also funded the journal’s Rapid Service Fee.

  Summary of Research: Aflibercept 8 mg versus Faricimab Treat‑and‑Extend for Diabetic Macular Edema or Neovascular Age‑Related Macular Degeneration: A Bayesian Fixed‑Effect Network Meta‑analysis of Clinical Trials · 2026 · DOI

• The inability to stratify outcomes by ischemic versus non‑ischemic disease repre‑ sents an important limitation of this retrospective multicenter study and may have introduced het‑ erogeneity within the BRVO and CRVO subgroups that is not fully captured by the reported analyses. However, safety conclusions from the present study must be explicitly limited to the observed follow‑up period of approximately 24 weeks in a cohort of 70 patients.

  Intravitreal Faricimab for Retinal Vein Occlusion: Real-World Outcomes from the Multicenter FARTURK-RVO Study in Türkiye · 2026 · DOI

• Our future work entails several areas. First, we and regulatory agencies such as the FDA and EMA are interested in determining how slowing of RMDA impacts a patient’s everyday life. RMDA is measured under scotopic conditions, but humans do not engage in many behaviours at scotopic light levels. However, mesopic conditions do rely on rods. Currently, we are examining the association between RIT and reading and mobility under mesopic conditions. Reading and mobility are two of the key behaviours that are often cited as everyday problems in patients with early and late AMD [79, 122]. Second, a frequent criticism of RMDA tests is that they are too long for a clinical trial. We are investigating shortening the test by reducing the photobleach magnitude since the slope of the second component (the predecessor of RIT) is invariant across bleach levels. A weaker bleach could shorten the test. We are soon to embark on a Rasch analysis of the LLQ to determine how practically useful it could be for examining patient-reported outcomes in clinical trials on AMD. Third, we are continuing to explore imaging biomarkers of in clinical degraded rod-mediated vision that might be useful practice, especially as automated detection of OCT features is becoming commercially available. Based on ALSTAR2 baseline data, the OCT reflective band called the interdigitation zone (IZ), where the RPE apical processes to the photoreceptor outer segments, is a strong possibility for a very early biomarker. Another biomarker is a metabolic imaging technology for RPE health, fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy. Both modalities showed a strong correlation with delayed RMDA in ALSTAR2 baseline data. Finally, OCT angiography highlighted a stronger correlation of delayed RMDA 5° with choriocapillaris flow deficits under the fovea than with deficits outside the fovea, consistent with, but not proving the overall model of pathophysiology [125, 126]. retinoids transfer Finally, recognising that delayed RMDA next to the fovea is the defining visual dysfunction of the ageing-AMD transition can lead to therapeutic breakthroughs. It is reported that two-thirds of recent drug approvals in the US involved mechanisms of action with supportive genetics data. The path from the 2005 genome-wide association studies to approved inhibitors of complement proteins for geographic atrophy is well known. We can anticipate similar success for AMD stages earlier than atrophy and neovascularisation by the discovery and validation of genes underlying delayed RMDA. To date, risk alleles in agerelated maculopathy susceptibility locus 2 (ARMS2) and complethe two largest genetic factors for ment AMD onset, were associated with delayed RMDA and no other tested visual in a population-based study, a polygenic risk score was significantly associated with RIT only.

  Impaired Rod-Mediated Vision is the Functional Hallmark of Ageing and Early and Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration · 2026 · DOI

• While DR has traditionally been considered primarily a retinal microvascular disease, there is growing recognition that the choroid may also be affected in diabetes. The choroid, which is the vascular layer located between the retina and the sclera, provides oxygen and nutrients to the outer retina, including the photoreceptors. However, in the context of the present review, it is important to emphasize that most available evidence regarding choroidal thickness, choroidal vascularity index (CVI), and choriocapillaris flow voids has been derived from standard OCT, enhanced depth imaging OCT, swept-source OCT, or conventional OCTA, rather than from true UWF-OCTA platforms. Therefore, these parameters should currently be regarded as exploratory complementary biomarkers rather than established UWF-OCTA-derived clinical indicators. 5.1 Choroidal thickness Choroidal thickness can be measured using enhanced depth imaging OCT or SS-OCT, both of which provide improved visualization of the choroid compared to conventional spectral-domain OCT (67). Studies examining choroidal thickness in DR have yielded somewhat inconsistent findings, with some reporting thinning of the choroid in diabetic eyes and others reporting thickening or no significant difference (68, 69). The variability in findings across studies may be attributable to several factors, including differences in the severity of DR among study populations, differences in the methods used to measure TABLE 1 Detection rates of NV morphologies on VRI angio and VRI structure slabs. 5.2 Choroidal vascularity index The choroidal vascularity index (CVI), defined as the proportional relationship between the luminal cross-sectional area and the total choroidal area, has been advanced as a comparatively more stable and reproducible surrogate measure of choroidal integrity than choroidal thickness considered in isolation (68) reflects the relative composition of vascular and stromal compartments, CVI may be less susceptible to certain physiological confounders that influence absolute thickness measurements. Several studies have reported reduced CVI in diabetic eyes, particularly in more advanced stages of DR, suggesting possible choroidal vascular compromise (70). This finding could be interpreted as evidence of choroidal vascular degeneration in diabetes, which might contribute to outer retinal ischemia and photoreceptor dysfunction. Nevertheless, the evidence remains heterogeneous, and not all studies have demonstrated consistent differences between diabetic and non-diabetic eyes or across DR severity groups. At present, the relationship between CVI, DR progression, treatment response, and prognosis remains insufficiently established, and its clinical utility as an actionable biomarker requires further validation in larger, longitudinal, and methodologically standardized cohorts (71). 5.3 Choroidal flow voids on OCTA OCTA-based assessment of the choriocapillaris has also introduced the concept of flow voids, which refer to areas of reduced or absent flow signal on en face choriocapillaris images (69). These flow voids are thought to represent areas of choriocapillaris dropout or nonperfusion, as schematically summarized in Supplementary Figure 1. Increased number or size of choriocapillaris flow voids has been described in diabetic eyes and has been reported to correlate with DR severity and the presence of diabetic macular edema in some cohorts (72).

  Ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography angiography in diabetic retinopathy: from retinal lesions to choroidal metrics · 2026 · DOI

• Several future research areas for UWF-OCTA in DR require atten- tion. Although UWF-OCTA has shown certain application value in DR assessment, current research and clinical practice still have numer- ous unresolved limitations, such as non-unified imaging specifica- tions, insufficient automatic lesion recognition accuracy, and unclear guidance value of quantitative indicators. In view of these practical bottlenecks, subsequent research of UWF-OCTA in DR can be pro- moted step by step in combination with short-term, medium-term and long-term layouts, so as to gradually improve its clinical applica- tion system. In the short term, deep learning can be prioritized to optimize the automatic lesion detection capability of UWF-OCTA. Flat NV is often difficult to identify accurately due to ILM segmentation limita- tions, peripheral scan images have relatively low signal-to-noise ratio, and severe DME will also disturb the integrity of retinal structure to a certain extent. Constructing deep learning models with diverse training data covering the above complex scenarios and conducting rigorous cross-device and cross-center verification will help to steadily improve the accuracy of automatic identification of key lesions. In the medium term, large-scale longitudinal and horizontal comparative studies should be carried out simultaneously to clar- ify the clinical value of UWF-OCTA-related indicators. Long-term follow-up of patients during the transition from NPDR to PDR and treatment can help explore the temporal correlation between choroidal and retinal vascular changes, and determine the predic- tive effect of relevant indicators on clinical outcomes. Meanwhile, prospective comparative studies between UWF-OCTA-based evaluation algorithms and FA or clinical examination are needed to confirm whether quantitative indicators such as NV area and vessel density can guide the formulation of clinical strategies including anti-VEGF treatment timing and panretinal photoco- agulation (PRP). In addition, further exploration of choroidal metrics is also an important part of medium-term research, including clarifying the sequence of choroidal thinning and reti- nal damage, verifying the response of choroidal parameters to anti-VEGF therapy, and standardizing the quantification method of choroidal flow voids, so as to establish choroidal metrics as effective clinical biomarkers. In the long run, establishing multi-center consensus and a standardized UWF-OCTA imaging system is the core task. Current inconsistencies in devices, scan protocols, segmentation algorithms and analysis methods limit the generalizability of research results. Developing unified standards for imaging acqui- sition, reporting and quality control through multi-center coop- eration will lay the foundation for cross-study data integration and promote the standardized application of UWF-OCTA in DR clinical management.

  Ultra-widefield optical coherence tomography angiography in diabetic retinopathy: from retinal lesions to choroidal metrics · 2026 · DOI

• Glycemic control, commonly assessed by HbA1c, remains central to diabetes management; however, optimal intensity and pace of HbA1c reduction remain debated, particularly with respect to microvascular outcomes [15].

  Effect of Tight Glycemic Control on Microvascular Complications in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus — a Randomized Controlled Trial in an Egyptian Cohort · 2026 · DOI

• Prospective studies with standardized imag- ing schedules are warranted to validate our observations. Fourth, although this study was conducted in an East Asian population, where myopic MNV is relatively prevalent, caution is warranted when generalizing these findings to other populations.

  Five-year real-world outcomes and patterns of MNV-related atrophy after anti-VEGF therapy in eyes with pathologic myopia · 2026 · DOI

• While Hcy lowering is biologically plausible, DR-specific randomized data are still limited, highlighting the need for interventional trials that pair vitamin repletion with mechanistic ocular outcomes (80).

  Systemic strategies to prevent early diabetic retinopathy: targeting polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism and eicosanoid signaling · 2026 · DOI

• Key Messages What is known ● Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) is the standard treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy, but its impact on the choroidal vasculature remains incompletely understood, with previous studies reporting inconsistent findings regarding post-PRP choroidal thickness and perfusion changes.

  Multimodal evaluation of choroidal vascular alterations after panretinal photocoagulation in diabetic retinopathy · 2026 · DOI

• In support, previous groups have shown that macrophage depletion disrupts RPE-CC homeostasis, leading to AMD-like pathology, but the mechanism remains unclear.

  Tissue-resident macrophages maintain choroidal homeostasis by complement dependent and independent mechanisms · 2026 · DOI

• This study had several limitations. First, the analysis were based on a single cross- sectional peripheral blood transcriptome dataset. Although internal cross- validation was performed, external validation with independent cohorts was not feasible at this stage and may be possible when appropriate datasets become available. Second, gene expression profiles derived from blood may reflect systemic molecular changes and may not fully represent retina-specific or cell- ARTICLE IN PRESS ARTICLE IN PRESS ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT type–specific mechanisms potentially underlying DR. Therefore, future research should incorporate retinal tissue, vitreous samples, or relevant animal models to clarify the biological significance of the identified ECM-related genes and validate the findings in more context-specific systems. Furthermore, the pathway enrichment analyses (GSEA) were based on only nine candidate genes, which may yield unstable results and should be interpreted with caution. Third, experimental validation was influenced by sample availability; in particular, healthy control samples were not included in the PCR analysis because of practical constraints in sample collection. Finally, while major clinical variables were considered, residual confounding related to diabetes duration, metabolic control, or comorbidities cannot be entirely excluded and may be addressed in larger, longitudinal studies. CONCLUSION By integrating blood transcriptomes with explainable machine learning, we identified a five-gene ECM signature (SFRP1, CILP2, FN1, TPSAB1, and ECM2) that links ECM remodeling, neurovascular signaling, metabolism, and immune pathways in DR, serving as validated candidate biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all individuals and organizations who supported and assisted us throughout this research.

  Integrative transcriptomic and machine learning analysis identifies key extracellular matrix-related genes in diabetic retinopathy · 2026 · DOI

• The strengths of this study include its complete enumeration of eligible physicians at a major tertiary hospital, use of a validated questionnaire and comprehensive analysis of KAP domains. The 100% response rateminimises selection bias and ensures representativeness. However, limitations must be acknowledged. First, the study was conducted in a single tertiary hospital, which may limit generalisability to other regions of Rajasthan or India. Second, self-reported practices may not accurately reflect actual behaviour in clinical settings, introducing potential reporting bias. Third, the cross-sectional design captures KAP at one point in time but cannot assess changes after interventions. Future multicentre studies with observational components are needed to validate and expand these findings. CONCLUSION This study highlights that physicians at a tertiary care hospital in Rajasthan possess adequate knowledge about DR and demonstrate positive attitudes toward its prevention and management. However, their practices remain suboptimal, with limited use of ophthalmoscopy, inconsistent referral of asymptomatic diabetic patients and poor participation in community awareness activities. This knowledge-practice gap undermines opportunities for early detection and prevention of vision-threatening complications.

  Knowledge, attitude and practices of physicians on diabetic retinopathy · 2026 · DOI

• Beyond the approved microinjector system, innovation in SCS drug delivery is advancing through both device optimization and novel therapeutic development, which pushes forward expanded clinical applications. 6.1 Device development Multiple novel SCS devices are currently under clinical validation. A proprietary tissue separator was used to achieve tangential SCS access with the Everads Injector, potentially enabling improved drug distribution (80). A single 100 µL (4 mg) dose of TA was delivered with this minimally invasive device and an investigation is undertaken in an open-label pilot study (NCT06314217) assessing the safety and delivery performance among 10 previously treated DME patients (81). Another development is the OXU-001 sustained-release dexamethasone formulation, designed for administration via the illuminated Oxulumis microcatheter system. An ongoing 52-week Phase II clinical trial (NCT05697809) is comparing two SCS- administered OXU-001 doses against the IVI dexamethasone implant (OZURDEX) for DME treatment (82–84). Positive outcomes could establish a minimally invasive approach providing sustained therapeutic eect for up to 12 months, potentially reducing treatment burden. 6.2 Sustained-release formulations The development of long-acting formulations is advancing SCS therapy. Iluvien R , a non-biodegradable implant containing 0.19 mg of fluocinolone acetonide (FAc), provides sustained daily release of Fac (0.25 µg/day) for the treatment of chronic DME (85, 86). In a 12-patient retrospective study of chronic DME (87), the BCVA was improved (from 0.07 to 0.15 in decimal units) and CMT was reduced (from 544 to 404 µm) at month 12 with a single SCS implantation. In safety aspects, transient IOP elevation (< 10 mmHg, resolved within 3 weeks) was observed in 50% of patients, and mild nuclear sclerosis occurred in 20% of phakic eyes. No persistent ocular hypertension or surgery-related complications were reported. 6.3 Novel drug candidates CLS-301, a pan-RGD integrin antagonist, can reduce vascular leakage and inflammation. In a study with rabbit (88), a single SCS injection (4 mg/eye) of CLS-301 suspension achieved sustained chorioretinal bioavailability over 16 weeks, with excellent ocular tolerability and no significant inflammation, supporting its potential as a long-acting DME therapy. BCX4161, a plasma kallikrein inhibitor, was also evaluated following SCS administration (0.5 mg/eye) in rabbits. The inhibitor was well-tolerated over 3 months (89) (Muya et al. IOVS 2021; 62:ARVO E-Abstract 2194), with retinal drug concentrations exceeding the therapeutic target by 100–1,000-fold, demonstrating its potential for sustained and targeted DME therapy. 6.4 Nanocarriers and gene therapy Explorations into nanocarriers and gene therapy are opening new avenues for long-term posterior segment treatment. Iron oxide/human serum albumin nanoparticles (IO/HSA NPs, 21 ± 3 nm) were eÿciently delivered to the posterior segment. A single SCS injection in rats (90) (5 µL, 7.5 mg/mL) resulted in posterior segment retention for up to 30 weeks, with no significant retinal structural or functional changes, indicating both safety and potential for non-invasive tracking. RGX-314, an AAV8-based gene therapy encoding an anti-VEGF Fab, was evaluated in the phase II ALTITUDE trial (91) (NCT04567550) in DR patients. After SCS injection (2.5 × 1011 GC/eye) 33% of patients showed a ≥ 2-step DR improvement compared to that of control group at interim analysis, supporting the feasibility of SCS-mediated gene therapy.

  Suprachoroidal injection in the treatment of diabetic macular edema: mechanisms, clinical advances, and future perspectives · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Retinal Diseases and Treatments

• Ranibizumab and Bevacizumab for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration · New England Journal of Medicine · 2011 · 2,032 citations
• Dietary Carotenoids, Vitamins A, C, and E, and Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration · JAMA · 1994 · 1,291 citations
• Dietary carotenoids, vitamins A, C, and E, and advanced age-related macular degeneration. Eye Disease Case-Control Study Group · JAMA · 1994 · 1,165 citations
• SENILE MACULAR DEGENERATION: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY · American Journal of Epidemiology · 1983 · 363 citations
• Intravitreal aflibercept 8 mg in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (PULSAR): 48-week results from a randomised, double-masked, non-inferiority, phase 3 trial · The Lancet · 2024 · 224 citations
• TENAYA and LUCERNE · Ophthalmology · 2024 · 184 citations
• Inflammatory and angiogenic biomarkers in diabetic retinopathy · Biochemia Medica · 2020 · 147 citations
• The Diagnosis and Treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration · Deutsches Ärzteblatt international · 2020 · 124 citations
• Gene therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration by subretinal delivery of RGX-314: a phase 1/2a dose-escalation study · The Lancet · 2024 · 122 citations
• Intravitreal aflibercept 8 mg in diabetic macular oedema (PHOTON): 48-week results from a randomised, double-masked, non-inferiority, phase 2/3 trial · The Lancet · 2024 · 114 citations

Most recent work

• PFKFB3 nuclear translocation improves diabetic retinopathy by attenuating endothelial cell senescence through inhibition of USP7-p53 axis · Metabolism · 2026
• Fellow-eye effect of intravitreal aflibercept 8mg in a patient with bilateral refractory nAMD: a case report and literature review · BMC Ophthalmology · 2026
• [Retracted] SUMO1/UBC9‑decreased Nox1 activity inhibits reactive oxygen species generation and apoptosis in diabetic retinopathy · Molecular Medicine Reports · 2026
• Suboptimal Responses to Anti-VEGF in Retinal Neurovascular Diseases: Linking Aging and Alternative Angioinflammatory Pathways · Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science · 2026
• Prognostic Imaging Biomarkers in Diabetic Macular Edema Treated with Anti-VEGF: A Multicenter AI Perspective · Ophthalmology and Therapy · 2026
• Response to: ‘Comment on: ‘Treatment patterns and long-term outcomes in anti-VEGF-treated macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion: a retrospective observational study” · Eye · 2026
• Bibliometric analysis of papers on inflammation in glaucoma from 2000 to 2025 · International Journal of Ophthalmology · 2026
• Repeatability, reproducibility, and agreement regarding measurement of choroidal vascularity index between OCT and OCT angiography · International Journal of Ophthalmology · 2026
• Distinct Genetic Profiles Associated With Subretinal Drusenoid Deposits and Cardiovascular Risk in Age-Related Macular Degeneration · Translational Vision Science & Technology · 2026
• Efficacy and safety of different anti-VEGF agents combined with pars plana vitrectomy in proliferative diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · Frontiers in Endocrinology · 2026

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