Neovascular age-related macular degeneration and anti-VEGF nonresponders

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration is responsible for the overwhelming majority of vision loss in age-related macular degeneration. Not too long ago, the disease was poorly controlled with few treatment options. Today, angiogenesis is the central focus in the pathogenesis of this disease, with VEGF identified as a major mediator of this process. These advances have opened the door for targeted anti-VEGF therapy, leading to significant improvements in visual outcomes for a majority of patients. There is, however, a portion of the population that responds poorly to initial treatment with little explanation as to why this occurs. Combination therapies are now being investigated to tackle anti-VEGF monotherapy nonresponders.