Effects on the contralateral eye after intravitreal bevacizumab and ranibizumab injections: a case report.
BACKGROUND
We report a case in which intravitreal bevacizumab and ranibizumab appeared to have effects in the contralateral, uninjected eye.


METHODS
An 83-year-old man with macular oedema from branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) in the right eye developed neovascular macular degeneration in the left eye. Intravitreal bevacizumab in the left eye improved macular oedema in the right eye temporarily before it recurred. Subsequently, intravitreal ranibizumab in the left eye also resulted in significant reduction of macular oedema in the right eye.


RESULTS
Vision and macular oedema in the right eye improved.


CONCLUSIONS
Bevacizumab and ranibizumab may have therapeutic effects in the uninjected eye, possibly because they may escape from the eye into the systemic circulation.
Wu
Ziqiang
Z
Doheny Retina Institute, Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Sadda
Srinivas R
SR
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D005123:Eye / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014822:Vitreous Body
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000069579:Ranibizumab