2M.D. Asistant, Istanbul University Medical Faculty, Department of Ophthalmology, Istanbul/TURKEY
3M.D. Asistant Professor, Kafkas University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Kars/TURKEY Purpose: To evaluate effect of anti-VEGF (ranibizumab) treatment on functional success in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) existing photoreceptor layer defect.
Material and Methods: Forty eyes of 37 AMD patients were included. Patients treated with 3 consecutive monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injections and reinjections according to PrONTO study. Before and after the treatment, all patients underwent complete ophthalmologic examination, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and time domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans. All patients had retinal fluid secondary to choroid neovascularization (CNV). Patients were divided in 2 groups according to existence of subfoveal inner and outer photoreceptor layer (IS/OS) defect. 18 eyes with subfoveal IS/OS junction defect included in Group 1, 22 eyes with intact IS/OS junction included in Group 2.
Results: The mean age of 37 patients was 73.1±7.6 (55-85). The mean follow-up time was 24.44±9.94 (12-48) months. At the presentation, visual acuity, central macular thickness (CMT) and thickest value of macula were statistically equal among 2 groups. The mean number of intravitreal ranibizumab injections was 9.4 in group 1 and 8.3 in group 2. After the treatment, there were a statistically significant decrease in CMT and thickest value of macula in both groups. Final BCVA were similar to baseline acuity in group 1 and improved significantly in group 2 (p<0.001)
Conclusion: AMD patients with IS/OS junction defect have low visual acuity impairment in spite of the anti-VEGF (ranibizumab) treatment.
Keywords : IS/OS junction, ranibizumab, AMD