Phacoemulsification surgery in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
Purpose. To evaluate the visual outcomes and effect of phacoemulsification surgery on the progression of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods. Retrospective, noncomparative, and interventional case series. Thirty eyes from 29 subjects with neovascular AMD treated with intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections who underwent phacoemulsification and had a postsurgery follow-up of 6 months were included. LogMAR best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was assessed preoperatively; 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively; and finally at the last visit. The frequency of anti-VEGF therapy, calculated as the number of intravitreal injections per month, and central macular thickness (CMT) before and after cataract surgery were determined. Results. Median (range) logMAR BCVA was 0.69 (0.16 to 1.32) preoperatively; 0.55 (-0.04 to 1.32) at 1 month, 0.52 (-0.1 to 1.32) at 3 months, and 0.50 (0.0 to 1.32) at 6 months postoperatively; and 0.6 (0.0 to 1.4) at final visit (P = 0.0011). There was no difference in the frequency of anti-VEGF injections between the immediate 6 months before and after phacoemulsification, which was equal to 0.1667 injections per month (P = 0.6377). Median CMT measured 203  μ m preoperatively, which temporarily increased to 238  μ m at 1 month after surgery (P = 0.0093) and then spontaneously returned to baseline, measuring 212.5  μ m at 3 months postoperatively (P = 0.3811). Conclusion. Phacoemulsification surgery significantly improved vision in patients with neovascular AMD, with no increased need for anti-VEGF injections to keep the macula dry postoperatively.
Department of Ophthalmology, Wirral University Teaching Hospital, Arrowe Park Road, Wirral, Merseyside CH49 5PE, UK ; Department of Ophthalmology, St. Paul's Eye Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot Street, Liverpool, Merseyside L7 8XP, UK.
Andre
0000-0002-1767-6467
A
Grixti
Department of Ophthalmology, Wirral University Teaching Hospital, Arrowe Park Road, Wirral, Merseyside CH49 5PE, UK.
Evangelia
E
Papavasileiou
Department of Mathematics, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK ; The Insurance Unit, Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy, University of Malta, Msida, MSD2080, Malta.
Dominic
0000-0002-6376-9824
D
Cortis
Department of Ophthalmology, Wirral University Teaching Hospital, Arrowe Park Road, Wirral, Merseyside CH49 5PE, UK.
Balakrishna Vineeth
BV
Kumar
Department of Ophthalmology, Wirral University Teaching Hospital, Arrowe Park Road, Wirral, Merseyside CH49 5PE, UK.
Som
S
Prasad