Results of intravitreal ranibizumab treatment for choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration

Abstract

Purpose: To report the efficacy and results of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) injection for choroidal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). Materials and Methods: Fifty-eight eyes of 43 ARMD patients received 287 injections of 0.5 mg/0.05 mL IVR and were followed up for at least one year prospectively. The mean age was 67.64 ± 8.14. All patients received three consecutive monthly IVR injections. IVR injections were readministered based on visual acuity (VA) measurements, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), and optic coherence tomography (OCT) results. Results: By three months, 28 eyes (48.3%) had an increase in VA of 5 letters or more, 27 eyes (46.5%) had no change, and 3 eyes (5.2%) had a decrease of 5 letters or more. After the 12-month follow-up VA results were as follows: 26 eyes (44.8%) had an increase of 5 letters or more, 28 eyes (48.3%) had no change, and 4 eyes (6.9%) had a decrease of 5 letters or more. In 44 eyes (75.9%), central macular thickness (CMT) decreased by 100 ?m or more, in 12 eyes (20.7%) there was no change, and in 2 eyes (3.4%) CMT increased by 100 ?m or more at the third month. After the 12-month follow-up, CMT decreased by 100 ?m or more in 42 eyes (72.4%) and increased by 100 ?m or more in 3 eyes (5.2%), while 13 eyes (22.4%) had no change. Conclusions: IVR provides significant anatomic and functional improvement compared the baseline in choroidal neovascularization due to ARMD.