Evaluation of off-label anti-vascular endothelial growth factor and steroid implant medication uses in macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion in Turkey.

The practice of drug use in RVO in Turkey has changed as of the beginning of 2019. Stepwise therapy has been accepted by the drug regulatory agency Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency. Utilization of licensed drugs, aflibercept, ranibizumab and dexamethasone has been allowed only after administration of 3 doses of intravitreal bevacizumab. After 3 doses of bevacizumab, the physician may continue either with bevacizumab again or a dexamethasone implant. If there is a reason such as the presence of glaucoma, the physician may skip dexamethasone and switch to aflibercept and ranibizumab, but in this case, dexamethasone cannot be administered to the patient for life. The evaluation of the off-label treatments of RVO, which is one of the most frequently followed diseases in retina clinics, not only contributes to the literature but also provides information regarding the most frequently applied treatments and the physicians' off-label drug preferences for RVO.