title: Is spectral-domain optical coherence tomography essential for flexible treatment regimens with ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration?
abstract: Purpose. To evaluate the ability of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography to detect subtle amounts of retinal fluid when the choroidal neovascularization is detected as inactive via time-domain optical coherence tomography and clinical examination in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) patients. Methods. Forty-nine eyes of 49 patients with nAMD after ranibizumab treatment were included in this cross-sectional, prospective study. All patients were imaged with TD-OCT and SD-OCT at the same visit one month after a ranibizumab injection. The presence of subretinal, intraretinal, and subretinal pigment epithelium fluid (subRPE) in SD-OCT was evaluated; also mean central retinal thickness (CRT) and the rate of vitreoretinal surface disorders detected via the two devices were evaluated. Results. The mean CRT via TD-OCT and SD-OCT was 218.1 ± 51.3 and 325.7 ± 78.8 microns. Sixteen patients (32.6%) showed any kind of retinal fluid via SD-OCT. In detail, 8 patients (16.3%) showed subretinal fluid, 10 patients (20.4%) showed intraretinal fluid, and 3 patients (6.1%) showed SubRPE fluid. The ability of detecting vitreoretinal surface disorders was comparable between the two devices, except vitreomacular traction. Conclusion. SD-OCT is essential for the nAMD patients who are on an as-needed treatment regimen with ranibizumab. Only TD-OCT and clinical examination may cause insufficient treatment in this group of patients.
authors: Beyoglu Eye Training and Research Hospital, Bereketzade Camii Sok., Kuledibi, Beyoglu, 34421 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Abdullah
authors: A
authors: Ozkaya
authors: Zeynep
authors: Z
authors: Alkin
authors: Hande Mefkure
authors: HM
authors: Ozkaya
authors: Alper
authors: A
authors: Agca
authors: Engin Bilge
authors: EB
authors: Ozgurhan
authors: Yalcin
authors: Y
authors: Karakucuk
authors: Ahmet Taylan
authors: AT
authors: Yazici
authors: Ahmet
authors: A
authors: Demirok