Recent study findings were published in Ophthalmology that highlight the possible link between repeated intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections and an increased risk of developing cataracts.
Several eye conditions are treated using anti-VEGF injections including retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema and wet age-related macular degeneration. The injections are usually administered monthly and treatment can go on for years. Intravitreal injections are known to be a risk factor in the formation of cataracts.
The retrospective, interventional case series was designed to examine the link between anti-VEGF injections and incident cataract surgery. Researchers focused on patients who were only receiving injections in one eye. Data from 603 patients was reviewed and covered the years between 2010 and 2025.
Researchers found that the incidence of cataract surgery was 40.7% in injected eyes compared to only 7.2% in non-injected eyes. These findings highlight the need for thorough counselling for patients facing long-term injection protocols.
