Photoreceptor status after antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy in exudative age-related macular degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the photoreceptor layer status after antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy in choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).


METHODS
Prospective, consecutive case series.


METHODS
Twenty-three eyes of 22 patients with CNV secondary to AMD with foveal thickness less than 250 microm after treatment with anti-VEGF therapy and no obvious leakage on time domain OCT, and eight healthy subjects as controls, were imaged with at least one of four different SD-OCT devices. The inner and outer segment (IS/OS) photoreceptor layers were graded, and correlated with various characteristics including visual acuity.


RESULTS
The IS/OS layer was detected in eight eyes (35%) of patients with AMD and all eyes (100%) of the healthy control subjects (p = 0.002). Eyes in patients with AMD with preserved IS/OS had a significantly better BCVA and mean change in BCVA, and were more likely not to have had previous laser treatment compared with eyes with absent IS/OS.


CONCLUSIONS
SD-OCT is a useful tool to visualise IS/OS status. IS/OS is often absent in patients who have received treatment with anti-VEGF therapy for CNV due to AMD. The IS/OS status after anti-VEFG therapy correlates with BCVA and mean change in vision.
Sayanagi
K
K
Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
Sharma
S
S
Kaiser
P K
PK
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055211:Retinal Photoreceptor Cell Inner Segment / Q000473:pathology*; D055214:Retinal Photoreceptor Cell Outer Segment / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A