title: Estimation of the need for bilateral intravitreal anti-VEGF injections in clinical practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To estimate the need for bilateral intravitreal anti-VEGF injections in patients treated for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), retinal vein occlusion, choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in high myopia, and other causes of CNV.
  
  
  METHODS
  All consecutive patients treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF injection over a 1-month period were included in a prospective multicenter survey. The reason for intravitreal anti-VEGF injection and the involvement of the fellow eye in the pathology requiring a treatment with intravitreal anti-VEGF were recorded. A time interval between bilateral injections longer than 1 month, within a 1-month period, and same-day bilateral injections were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1335 patients were included, corresponding to 1024 (76.7 %) patients treated for nAMD, 167 (12.5 %) for DME, and 144 (10.8 %) for other reasons. Four hundred and fifty-nine (34.4 %) patients were treated bilaterally with a time interval between injections longer than 1 month, 170 (12.7 %) were treated bilaterally within a 1-month interval, and 87 (6.6 %) had same-day bilateral injections. Bilateral injections were more frequent in diabetic patients than in nAMD patients (respectively 48 % vs. 36 %, p = 0.0033).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with DME are more likely to be treated bilaterally with anti-VEGF injections. As the rate of second eye involvement requiring treatment increases progressively over time, a same-day bilateral injection strategy will become more common as it decreases the administrative burden on the healthcare system and treatment burden experienced by patients.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Hôpital Avicenne, AP-HP and University Paris 13-Bobigny, Seine Saint Denis, France.|Departement Hospitalo-Universitaire Vision et Handicaps, Paris, France.
authors: Audrey
authors: A
authors: Giocanti-Auregan
authors: Departement Hospitalo-Universitaire Vision et Handicaps, Paris, France.|Department of Ophthalmology, Hôpital Lariboisière, AP-HP and University Paris 7, Paris, France.
authors: Ramin
authors: R
authors: Tadayoni
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Hôpital Avicenne, AP-HP and University Paris 13-Bobigny, Seine Saint Denis, France.|Departement Hospitalo-Universitaire Vision et Handicaps, Paris, France.|Centre Ophtalmologique d'Imagerie et de Laser, 11 rue Antoine Bourdelle, 75015, Paris, France.
authors: Typhaine
authors: T
authors: Grenet
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Hôpital Avicenne, AP-HP and University Paris 13-Bobigny, Seine Saint Denis, France.|Departement Hospitalo-Universitaire Vision et Handicaps, Paris, France.|Centre Ophtalmologique d'Imagerie et de Laser, 11 rue Antoine Bourdelle, 75015, Paris, France.
authors: Franck
authors: F
authors: Fajnkuchen
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Hôpital Avicenne, AP-HP and University Paris 13-Bobigny, Seine Saint Denis, France.|Departement Hospitalo-Universitaire Vision et Handicaps, Paris, France.|Centre Ophtalmologique d'Imagerie et de Laser, 11 rue Antoine Bourdelle, 75015, Paris, France.
authors: Sylvia
authors: S
authors: Nghiem-Buffet
authors: Centre Ophtalmologique d'Imagerie et de Laser, 11 rue Antoine Bourdelle, 75015, Paris, France.
authors: Corinne
authors: C
authors: Delahaye-Mazza
authors: Centre Ophtalmologique d'Imagerie et de Laser, 11 rue Antoine Bourdelle, 75015, Paris, France.
authors: Gabriel
authors: G
authors: Quentel
authors: Centre Ophtalmologique d'Imagerie et de Laser, 11 rue Antoine Bourdelle, 75015, Paris, France. sycsyc75@gmail.com.|Hôpital Intercommunal and University Paris-Est-Creteil, Creteil, France. sycsyc75@gmail.com.
authors: Salomon Y
authors: SY
authors: Cohen
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: Age-related macular degeneration; Anti-VEGF; Diabetic macular edema; Intravitreal injection; Retinal diseases