Contributor: Gordon K. Klintworth
Neovascularization may occur in the cornea [neovascularization - cornea], choroid [neovascularization - choroid], iris [neovascularization - iris], optic nerve head [neovascularization - optic nerve head], retina [neovascularization - retina], as well as in the vitreous and retina [neovascularization - vitreoretinal]. It is a prominent feature of many important ocular diseases, including retinopathy of prematurity, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration and neovascular glaucoma [glaucoma - neovascular]. A factor common to almost all retinal neovascularization and to new vessel formation in many other tissues is ischemia, which is thought to release diffusible angiogenic factors (such as VEGF). Such factors are also probably released in intraocular tumors or inflammatory reactions.