Intravitreal Ranibizumab for Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization: 12 Months Follow-Up

Purpose To assess the efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) in patients with sub or juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia (mCNV), naïve or unresponsive to prior photodynamic therapy (PDT) or intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB). Methods :23 eyes of 23 patients with sub or juxtafoveal mCNV treated with IVR, were retrospectively studied. Patients were divided in two groups. In group 1 (10 patients) patients were treated with three consecutive IVR performed on a monthly basis in contrast to group 2 (13 patients) that underwent a single IVR. Thereafter the need for additional injections was based on predefined retreatment criteria: persistence or increase of fluorescein leakage, new hemorrhage, persistence or appearance of sub/intraretinal fluid on OCT. Main outcome measures were changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and OCT thickness change at 12 months. Safety was tested by noting treatment-related ocular or systemic complications Results Overall, mean BCVA increased significantly from month 1 to 12. In both groups a significant decrease in OCT thickness and GLD was noted. At the end of the follow-up only 2 of the 23 patients of both groups showed a persistence of CNV, with a mean number of 1,3 IVR (range 1-2) in group 2 and 4,3 in group 1(range 3-6). Conclusions Short-term results suggested that IVR provides significant functional and important anatomical improvement with no significant adverse events in patients with sub or juxtafoveal mCNV naïve or unresponsive to prior PDT or IVB. Despite the small sample of eyes, the effectiveness of intravitreal ranibizumab was found to be encouraging. Further prospective long-term studies are necessary to evaluate safety and efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab in the treatment of myopic CNV.