Therapeutic effect of intravitreal injections of ranibizumab for the treatment of macular choroidal neovascularization caused by pathological myopia

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab injections for the treatment of macular choroidal neovascularization (CNV) caused by pathological myopia. Between one and four intravitreal injections of ranibizumab were administered to 61 eyes from 61 patients who were diagnosed with macular CNV caused by pathological myopia. Following injection, the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT) and fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) findings were evaluated monthly for a period of 6 months. Among the 61 eyes, 10 eyes received one injection, 44 received two injections, six received three injections and one received four injections (average, 1.97 injections). The BCVA was 0.02±0.01 prior to treatment and 0.30±0.03 subsequent to treatment, and this difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). The CMT was reduced by an average of 45.1 µm. Regarding the FFA results, 56 eyes had no CNV fluorescence leakage and five eyes had CNV fluorescence leakage following treatment; however, the intensity of CNV fluorescence leakage in the five eyes following treatment was lower than that prior to treatment. As a treatment for pathological myopia-induced macular CNV, intravitreal injections of ranibizumab may improve eyesight as well as the macular retinal tissue structure; thus, this is a safe and effective treatment method.