title: Clinical Outcomes of Eyes with Submacular Hemorrhage Secondary to Age-related Macular Degeneration Treated with Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term outcomes of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monotherapy for patients diagnosed with submacular hemorrhage secondary to exudative age-related macular degeneration.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective, observational study included 49 patients (49 eyes) who initially presented with submacular hemorrhage associated with exudative age-related macular degeneration and who were followed-up for at least 24 months. Only eyes that were treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF monotherapy were included in the study. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurements obtained at diagnosis, six months, and the final visit were compared. The associations of BCVA at the final visit with baseline BCVA, BCVA at six months, symptom duration, hemorrhage extent, and central foveal thickness were also analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the course of follow-up (mean, 32.1 ± 8.5 months), an average of 5.1 ± 2.2 anti-VEGF injections were administered. Recurrent hemorrhage was noted in 13 eyes (26.5%). The mean logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution BCVA at diagnosis, six months, and the final visit were 1.40 ± 0.52, 0.87 ± 0.64, and 1.03 ± 0.83, respectively. Both baseline BCVA (p = 0.012) and BCVA at six months (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with BCVA at the final visit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improved visual acuity was maintained for more than two years with intravitreal anti-VEGF monotherapy. BCVA at six months is a useful clinical index to predict long-term visual prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kun Hae
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Suk
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Gon
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lew
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012160:Retina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000069579:Ranibizumab
keywords: Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor; Exudative age-related macular degeneration; Long-term outcome; Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy; Submacular hemorrhage