Table 1.

Current approaches for the management of corneal neovascularization; advantages, limitations, and complications

Treatment	Advantages	Limitations	Complications
Corticosteroids	Reduction in inflammation and corneal neovascularization	Limited effects on pre-existing mature corneal vessels	Superinfection, glaucoma, and cataract formation
Laser	Simple and tolerable procedure, obliteration of corneal efferent vessels	Frequent reopening of the afferent vessels, ineffective in extensive corneal neovascularization	Inadvertent damage to the corneal endothelium or crystalline lens, and suture lysis
Fine needle diathermy	Inexpensive, obliteration of afferent and efferent vessels at different corneal depth	Reopening of the afferent vessels necessitating retreatment	Corneal micro perforation, intracorneal haemorrhages, transient opacification of the cornea, and striae
Anti-VEGF agents	Effective on active young vessels	Expensive, limited anti-angiogenic effects on stable mature and deep vessels, difficulties in manufacturing, short half-lives	Persistent epithelial defects and stromal thinning with topical bevacizumab

VEGF = vascular endothelial growth factor