Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute’s MACULA and the 5th Annual Retina Festival 2025

Over the past several years, there is a growing body of medical evidence demonstrating a clear biologic rationale for targeting vascular endothelial growth factors in the treatment of the neovascular form of age related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and related diseases. Furthermore, there are new imaging and therapeutic approaches to vitreomacular interface abnormalities, intraocular tumors, posterior uveitis, hereditary retinal degenerations, as well as surgical diseases of the retina. These areas of investigation are relatively new, and most ophthalmologists are not aware of the myriad of new clinical trials relevant to these diseases. Thus, these subjects are areas of great interest both to ophthalmologists who treat these diseases and to those who refer these cases for further management. Presentations were chosen to emphasize new information and consensus on the use of these biologic agents to treat the neovascular and non-neovascular forms of age-related macular degeneration, vitreomacular interface abnormalities, diabetic retinopathy, intraocular tumors, and posterior uveitis. In addition, cases were chosen highlighting new information being reported by randomized clinical trials in these disease areas.

1. Explain the biologic rationale for targeting vascular endothelial growth factors in the treatment of the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and related diseases.
2. Discuss new imaging and therapeutic approaches to diabetic retinopathy, vitreomacular interface abnormalities, intraocular tumors, posterior uveitis, hereditary retinal degenerations, as well as surgical diseases of the retina.
3. Review the current and emerging therapeutic approaches for surgical retinal diseases.
4. Evaluate recent clinical studies evaluating treatments for retinal degenerations.