Abstract
Purpose: :
To describe two cases of neovascular age–related macular degeneration that progressed despite a single intravitreal injection of pegaptanib (Macugen®) six weeks earlier.
Methods: :
A 62–year–old man and a 76–year–old woman with occult and minimally classic lesions, respectively, each received a single injection of intravitreal Macugen.
Results: :
Within six weeks of an intravitreal Macugen injection, the choroidal neovascular lesions progressed. In one eye, the chronic occult lesion developed a subfoveal classic CNV component. In the other eye, the classic component of the minimally classic lesion tripled in size.
Conclusions: :
A single dose of intravitreal Macugen was not effective in these two cases at six weeks. This report reminds the ophthalmologist to consider obtaining a fluorescein angiogram
during follow–up after an intravitreal Macugen injection to monitor
CNV lesion characteristics, particularly if the visual acuity
decreases.
Keywords: choroid: neovascularization • injection • age-related macular degeneration