Short Term Effect of Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection In IntraOuclar Pressure

Abstract

Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in patients older than 55 years, in the United States. The most severe vision loss occurs in the neovascular form of AMD. Intravitreal Aflibercept injection has been tried for the treatment of Wet form of AMD. In this study we evaluate the short-term effect of Intravitreal Aflibercept injections on intraocular pressure.

Methods: 30 patients with Wet form of age related macular degeneration, who have the inclusion criteria for intravitreal Aflibercept injection were enrolled in the study. Aflibercept with dose of 2 mg administered by intravitreal injection every 4 weeks, for three months. The intraocular pressure was measured before each injection with Tonopen (Reichert, NY, USA) in every visit.

Results: 30 patient enrolled in the study, 20 female and 10 male with average age of 80 years. The IOP measurement were 17.35 mmhg at the beginning of the study and 15.95, 16.00 and 14.85 mmhg in the next three months visits. A one-way within-subjects ANOVA was conducted with the factor being time (baseline, 1st month, 2nd month and 3rd month and the dependent variable being intraocular pressure (IOP). ( p = 0.07).

Conclusions: Aflibercept has been prescribed as a new and effective treatment for wet AMD. In this study we show that intarvitreal injections of Aflibercept does not increase the intraocular pressure in a short term. We suggest that intarvitreal Aflibercept can be use safely in patient with history of glaucoma.

Keywords: 412 age-related macular degeneration