INTRAVITREAL BEVACIZUMAB FOR EXTRAFOVEAL CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULARIZATION SECONDARY TO PATHOLOGIC MYOPIA

Purpose: To assess the effects of intravitreal bevacizumab injections in the treatment of extrafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with pathologic myopia. Methods: Patients diagnosed with pathologic myopia complicated by extrafoveal CNV were considered in this prospective, open-label interventional study. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination, including Early Treatment Early of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) visual acuity measurement, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography. The protocol treatment included a first injection, followed by repeated injections over a 24-month follow-up period on the basis of optical coherence tomography and angiographic features, monitored monthly. Primary outcomes were the mean changes in best-corrected visual acuity and the proportion of eyes gaining at least 15 letters at the 24-month examination. Secondary outcomes included central macular thickness, size of the CNV, and extension to the fovea. Results: Fifteen patients were included in the study. Mean best-corrected visual acuity changed from 0.47 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (20/60 Snellen equivalent) at baseline to 0.22 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (20/30 Snellen equivalent) at the 24-month examination. An improvement of at least 3 ETDRS lines was achieved by 7 eyes (46.6%) at the 24-month examination. Mean central macular thickness changed from 313 mu m to 254 mu m at the 24-month examination (P = 0.008). Mean CNV size decreased from 348 mu m(2) to 251 mu m(2) at 24 months (P = 0.029). Conclusion: Intravitreal bevacizumab injection is a beneficial treatment for extrafoveal CNV associated with pathologic myopia. RETINA 33:593-597, 2013