Non-surgical methods for preventing or reducing the progression of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and non-surgical methods for treating other symptoms of the eye

摘要

A non-surgical method for preventing or reducing the rate of the progression of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy to the proliferative form of diabetic retinopathy comprising intravitreally administering to a patient suffering from non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy an effective amount of serine proteinase enzyme sufficient to create, without surgery, a posterior vitreal detachment to prevent or reduce the progression of proliferative diabetic retinopathy in said patient. Also disclosed is a non-surgical method of treating ocular conditions such as retinal ischemia, retinal inflammation, retinal edema tractional retinal detachment, tractional retinopathy, vitreous hemorrhage and tractional maculopathy by intravitreally administering to a patient suffering from one or more of these conditions with an effective amount of a serine proteinase enzyme to reduce or treat that particular ocular condition. Plasmin, microplasmin and miniplasmin are preferred serine proteinase enzymes and plasmin is the most preferred.