Abstract
Treatment for ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) has traditionally consisted of surgical excision; however, recent advances have poised several chemotherapeutic agents as viable alternatives to surgical treatment. These topical chemotherapies offer several advantages over traditional surgical intervention, including the ability to treat the entire ocular surface, lower risks of scarring, stem cell deficiency, and other sequelae. Interferon α-2b, 5-fluorouracil, and mitomycin C are the three best-known topical chemotherapies for OSSN and have been proven effective through many studies. While these three all have similarly high tumor resolution rates, they vary in price, availability, and side effect profile: interferon α-2b is the most expensive and has the fewest side effects, 5-fluorouracil is the least expensive and has relatively mild side effects, and mitomycin C is moderate in price but has stronger side effects. Other available options are retinoic acid, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents, cidofovir, and aloe vera.