Intravitreal ranibizumab for the primary treatment of choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab for the primary treatment of myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV).


METHODS
Sixteen eyes of 16 consecutive patients who received 3 monthly injections of intravitreal ranibizumab for primary treatment of myopic CNV were reviewed. Additional ranibizumab injections were performed in eyes with persistent or recurrent CNV after 3 months.


RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 60.8 years, and the spherical equivalent refractive error was -10.9 D. The mean logMAR best-corrected visual acuity at baseline was 0.58 (20/76). At 1 month and 12 months, the mean logMAR best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly to 0.39 (20/49) and 0.28 (20/37), respectively (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). The mean improvement at 12 months was 3.0 lines, and 12 (75.0%) eyes had improvement of 2 or more lines. Fifteen (93.8%) eyes had angiographic closure at 3 months and 1 (6.2%) required further treatment because of persistent leakage at 3 months. Two (12.5%) patients had recurrence of CNV and required retreatment between 3 months and 9 months. Optical coherence tomography showed significant reduction in the mean central foveal thickness after treatment (P < 0.001). None of the patients developed any ocular or systemic side effects associated with intravitreal ranibizumab.


CONCLUSIONS
Intravitreal ranibizumab appeared to be effective for the primary treatment of myopic CNV, with a high proportion of patients sustaining visual gain after treatment.
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Hong Kong Eye Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. tyylai@cuhk.edu.hk
Timothy Y Y
TY
Lai
Wai-Man
WM
Chan
David T L
DT
Liu
Dennis S C
DS
Lam
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000150:complications*; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D012008:Recurrence; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014822:Vitreous Body
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000069579:Ranibizumab