The Scoop on RD

APAO 2023 opens with a lowdown on the latest in retinal diseases

by Tan Sher Lynn

Globally, retinal diseases (RD) such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME) pose a significant burden to affected individuals, their families, and the society in general.

Asystematic review and metaanalysis published in Lancet Global Health in 2014 projected that the number of people with AMD in 2020 would reach 196 million, increasing to 288 million in 2040. 1

Meanwhile, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, the diagnosed prevalent cases of DME are projected to increase from 1.7 million cases in 2021 to 2 million in 2031 across seven major markets (US, Germany, Japan, UK, Spain, Italy, and France), equating to an annual growth rate of 1.66%.2

An understanding of the real-world condition is crucial towards designing effective eye-care strategies and health services that will benefit people around the world.

For more in-depth analysis, catch Dr. Mingguang He with his talk “Growing Global Burden of Retinal Diseases.”

Biosimilars — a better option?

Biosimilars are products that are highly similar but not identical to the originator biologic (a US Food and Drug Administration [FDA]-approved product). Nevertheless, they hold the potential to reduce the financial burden of highly efficacious biologic therapy in retinal pathologies while being safe and effective.

To date, more and more biosimilars are being developed due to a shorter development time and lower development costs compared to an original drug.

Get the latest updates on biosimilars from Dr. Susan Bressler’s talk entitled “Biosimilars for Retinal Disease.”

Anti-VEGF choices for RVO

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) occurs when a blood clot blocks the vein. Without proper blood flow to the retina, eyesight will be compromised and serious vision problems may occur, including macular edema, neovascularization, neovascular glaucoma, and irreversible blindness.

Currently, two anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents (ranimizumab and aflibercept) have been approved by the FDA and European Medicine Agency (EMA) for the treatment of RVO, while another VEGF inhibitor (bevacizumab) is often used “off-label” in clinical practice.

Learn more about the best options for managing RVO in Dr. Sobha Sivaprasad’s talk, “Anti-VEGF Choices in Retinal Vein Occlusion.”

Maximizing the use of OCTA

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is an imaging modality commonly used in ophthalmology to provide detailed visualization of the perfusion of vascular networks in the eye. Compared to dye-based imaging, such as fluorescein angiography, OCTA provides the benefits of being non-invasive and time-efficient, and allows for the examination of retinal vasculature in 3D.

Due to these advantages and great usability, OCTA is quickly adopted in the clinical routine. Nevertheless, challenges and issues exist in the interpretation of OCTA data. Image artifacts are commonly observed and the algorithmic details of OCTA signal construction can make a

References

clinical assessment of OCTA exams challenging.

Hear from Dr. Carol Cheung all about the utility of OCT angiography in retina and learn about how to maximize the use of this brilliant imaging modality in the management of retinal diseases.

1. Wong WL, Su X, Li X, Cheung CM, et al. Global prevalence of age-related macular degeneration and disease burden projection for 2020 and 2040: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2014;2(2):e106-16.

2. Global Data. Diagnosed prevalent cases of diabetic macular edema to reach two million in 2031 across 7MM, says GlobalData. Available at: https://www.globaldata.com/media/pharma/diagnosed-prevalentcases-diabetic-macular-edema-reach-two-million-2031-across-7mm-says-globaldata/. Accessed on February 13, 2023.

Hot Topics in Retinal Diseases.

Date: 23 Feb 2023

Time: 16:30 to 18:00 H

Venue: Conference Hall 2 (Level 3), KLCC