Abstract
Purpose: :
To report the 12 months results of intravitreal bevacizumab treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
Methods: :
Retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series of 125 consecutive patients (126 eyes) that underwent intravitreal bevacizumab treatment for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization by age-related macular degeneration was evaluated. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was assessed at baseline and 12 month follow-up.
Results: :
Mean BCVA was 20/81 at baseline and 20/111 at 12 month follow-up (p=0.003). In 70.6% (89/126) of the eyes, BCVA showed less than 3 lines worsening from baseline. Mean BCVA improved 1 or more lines in 33.9% (44/126) of the eyes and 3 or more lines in 13.5% (13/126) of the eyes. Six eyes developed retinal pigment epithelial tears. No endophthalmitis, retinal detachment or systemic side effects were seen.
Conclusions: :
Intravitreal bevacizumab injections can prevent vision loss in the majority of eyes with subfoveal neovascular age-related macular degeneration. One third of the eyes showed a vision improvement at 12 months. Larger controlled clinical trials are warranted to evaluate the effect of intravitreal bevacizumab therapy in neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • visual acuity • vascular endothelial growth factor