Laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy, and intravitreal bevacizumab for the treatment of juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects on visual acuity of laser treatment (LT), photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin, and intravitreal bevacizumab treatment in patients with juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia.

METHODS

This prospective randomized clinical investigation enrolled 54 patients, who were divided into 3 groups receiving PDT, LT, or intravitreal bevacizumab treatment. The anti-vascular endothelial growth factor group received 1.25 mg of intravitreal bevacizumab at baseline; retreatment was performed if persistent intraretinal or subretinal fluid evaluated on optical coherence tomography or if choroidal neovascularization progression was detected on fluorescein angiography. The PDT group received treatment following the Verteporfin in Photodynamic Therapy Study Group guidelines. The LT group was submitted to direct LT and received PDT treatment if subfoveal recurrence or progression was detected on fluorescein angiography. A change in best-corrected visual acuity was the primary outcome.

RESULTS

The mean best-corrected visual acuity in the PDT group decreased from 0.52 logMAR (SD, 0.24 logMAR) at baseline to 0.72 logMAR (SD, 0.25 logMAR) at the end of the study (P = .002). The LT group showed substantial stabilization from mean baseline visual acuity (mean, 0.45 logMAR [SD, 0.27 logMAR]) to the 24-month (mean, 0.56 logMAR [SD, 0.34 logMAR) examination values. The mean best-corrected visual acuity in the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor group increased from 0.6 logMAR (SD, 0.3 logMAR) at baseline to 0.42 logMAR (SD, 0.35 logMAR) at the end of the study (P = .006).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, bevacizumab treatment offers the best functional results during a 2-year follow-up. In view of the small size of the sample in this study and the relatively low frequency of juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia, a multicentric clinical trial is necessary to validate our results.