Comparison of intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment burden in different retinal diseases.

Cross-sectionalEye (London, England)· Jul 2026

Comparison of intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment burden in different retinal diseases.

Raffael Schmidt, Lisa-Maria Weissenbacher, Veronika Vécsei-Marlovits, Birgit Weingessel

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RetinaCross-sectionalClinical practiceQ1IF 3.3

Most patients reported low burden from anti-VEGF treatment.

Comparison of intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment burden in different retinal diseases.

Raffael Schmidt … Birgit Weingessel

Eye (London, England) · Jul 2026 · Q1 in Ophthalmology

Background

To compare the subjective treatment burden of intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy (IVT) among patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), diabetic macular oedema (DME), and macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (CME).

Methods

This single-centre, cross-sectional study surveyed 393 patients at the Department of Ophthalmology, Hietzing Hospital, Vienna.

n = 393 patients

64%

Results

64%

most patients reported little difficulty with their eye injections

n = 393 patients

More results

There was no statistically significant difference in overall treatment burden between disease groups (p > 0.4).

Better patient education significantly correlated with a lower perceived burden (p < 0.001).

Nearly half of the patients required assistance with clinic visits.

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Conclusion · 1 of 3

Although the overall perceived burden of anti-VEGF treatment was similar across retinal diseases, patients' specific concerns varied.

Conclusion · 2 of 3

Addressing these differences through personalised education and communication may help alleviate treatment-related anxiety and improve adherence.

Conclusion · 3 of 3

These findings highlight the importance of tailoring support strategies to individual patient experiences within long-term intravitreal treatment regimens.

Comparison of intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment burden in different retinal diseases.

Comparison of intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment burden in different retinal diseases.

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