Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab monotherapy in patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration. Material and Method: This was a non-randomized, observational, retrospective trial during the period from April 2008 to January 2010 with data collection of 73 eyes from 65 consecutive CNV patients who underwent ranibizumab injection. Data collection at all visits included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), detailed ophthalmological examination, optical coherence tomography measurements, fluorescein angiography (FA) and retinal photography. All patients were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab, three times monthly. Additional ranibizumab was performed if one of the following changes was observed: spread of the lesion, increased central macular thickness (>300 µm), signs of active CNV leakage on FA, new hemorrhage, or loss of BCVA ≥5 letters on the ETDRS chart. The patients were followed up monthly. Results: 33 patients were female and 32 were male with a mean age of 71.3±9.4 (range: 40-90) years. The mean follow-up period was 6.8±4.9 (range: 4-20) months. 21 patients (28.8%) were pseudophakic. Occult CNV was present in 45 eyes (61.4%), classic CNV in 23 (31.8%) eyes, and fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachment was present in 5 (6.8%) eyes. The mean BCVA was 0.8±0.5 logMAR before the injection and 0.6±0.4 logMAR at the last visit. The mean BCVA significantly improved (p=0.001) in all eyes, but there was no statistical difference between the subgroups (p>0.05). There was no major complication related to the injections. Discussion: Intravitreal ranibizumab monotherapy was effective in increasing significantly and stabilizing BCVA in patients with CNV secondary to age-related macular degeneration. After ranibizumab treatment, regression of neovascularization was observed and no side effects were recorded. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2011; 41: 10-5)
Keywords: Choroidal neovascularization, complication, ranibizumab monotherapy, visual acuity