Results of 1-year follow-up examinations after intravitreal bevacizumab administration for idiopathic choroidal neovascularization.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to report the results of 1-year follow-up examinations after intravitreal bevacizumab injection for the treatment of idiopathic choroidal neovascularization.

METHODS

Seven eyes in 7 patients with idiopathic choroidal neovascularization were intravitreally injected with 1.25 mg/0.05 mL of bevacizumab. The need for retreatment was evaluated if spectral-domain optical coherence tomography showed intraretinal edema or subretinal fluid at the time of a 1-month follow-up examination. Fluorescein angiography was performed 1 year after the first injection. The primary outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity and central foveal thickness using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

RESULTS

All 7 eyes were assessed at a 1-year follow-up examination. The mean number of injections per eye was 2.7. The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly from 0.31 +/- 0.29 to 0.15 +/- 0.38 (P < 0.05). The mean central foveal thickness decreased from 332 +/- 83 microm to 261 +/- 66 microm (P < 0.01). Fluorescein angiography showed no leakage at 1 year in all eyes. All patients whose best-corrected visual acuity improved by > or =0.2 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution had a visual acuity of > or =20/40 when first injected at baseline.

CONCLUSION

The intravitreal injection of bevacizumab is effective for stabilizing or improving vision in patients with idiopathic choroidal neovascularization, as evaluated at a 1-year follow-up examination. In particular, this treatment may be well tolerated in patients with a visual acuity of > or =20/40 at baseline. Additional investigations are needed to assess the long-term safety and the optimal protocol for intravitreal bevacizumab administration.