Retinal reperfusion in diabetic retinopathy following treatment with anti-VEGF intravitreal injections.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to report peripheral reperfusion of ischemic areas of the retina on ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (UWFA) following anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) intravitreal injections in patients treated for diabetic retinopathy.


METHODS
This study is a retrospective review of 16 eyes of 15 patients with diabetic retinopathy, who received anti-VEGF intravitreal injections and underwent pre- and postinjection UWFA. The main outcome measured was the presence of reperfusion in postinjection UWFA images in areas of the retina that demonstrated nonperfusion in preinjection images. Images were analyzed for reperfusion qualitatively and quantitatively by two graders.


RESULTS
Twelve of 16 eyes (75%) or 11 of 15 patients (73.3%) demonstrated reperfusion following anti-VEGF injection. On UWFA, reperfusion was detected both within the field of 7-standard field (7SF) fluorescein angiography and in the periphery outside the 7SF. Four of 16 eyes or 4 of 15 patients did not demonstrate reperfusion, one of which had extensive scarring from prior panretinal photocoagulation.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with diabetic retinopathy, treatment with anti-VEGF agents can be associated with reperfusion of areas of nonperfusion, as demonstrated by UWFA.
Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
Ariana M
AM
Levin
Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
Irene
I
Rusu
Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
Anton
A
Orlin
Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
Mrinali P
MP
Gupta
Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
Peter
P
Coombs
Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
Donald J
DJ
D'Amico
Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
Szilárd
S
Kiss
anti-VEGF; diabetes; diabetic retinopathy; ischemia; perfusion; reperfusion