Erythropoietin in ophthalmology: A literature review

PURPOSE: To review the current literature on ocular application of erythropoietin (EPO). METHODS: A comprehensive search was performed on Pubmed and Scopus databases. All selected articles were reviewed thoroughly by the authors to review current applications of the EPO in ocular diseases. RESULTS: Various aspects of administration of EPO for different ischemic, traumatic, vascular, and degenerative disorders have been explained. The articles are generally preclinical with few small studies reporting clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: EPO has been used for the treatment of different ophthalmic conditions with promising results. Further studies are needed to elaborate the role of EPO in management of ocular diseases.