Abstract
Purpose:
To investigate the influence of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) on the short-term functional and anatomic efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab therapy in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Methods:
In this prospective study conducted between January 2012 and September 2013, patients with treatment-naïve neovascular AMD were classified according to the presence or absence of PVD as evidenced by ultrasonography. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) were recorded at baseline and after a series of three monthly intravitreal Bevacizumab injections at month 3 and 6.
Results:
Forty-three eyes of 39 neovascular AMD patients were included. PVD was present in 26 eyes and absent in 17 eyes. The mean baseline VA was 0.83 Log MAR in the PVD+ group and improved to 0.78 Log MAR after 3 months and to 0.64 Log MAR after 6 months. The mean baseline VA in the PVD- group was 0.69 Log MAR and improved to 0.52 Log MAR and to 0.57 Log MAR, respectively. The mean baseline CRT measured 408 µ in the PVD+ group, and improved to 342 µ and to 326 µ at 3 and 6 months, respectively. The mean baseline CRT measured 337 µ in the PVD- group, and improved to 279 µ and to 246 µ 3 and 6 months, respectively. There were no significant changes in VA or CRT between the two groups.
Conclusions:
The presence of PVD does not seem to have a significant impact on short-term visual outcomes or anatomical configuration of patients treated with bevacizumab for neovascular AMD.
Keywords: 412 age-related macular degeneration •
552 imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) •
550 imaging/image analysis: clinical