Response to photodynamic therapy combined with intravitreal aflibercept for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy depending on fellow-eye condition:2-year results

Abstract

We investigated whether response to photodynamic therapy (PDT) with intravitreal aflibercept injection (IAI) for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) differs depending on fellow eye condition. A retrospective review was conducted for consecutive 60 eyes with PCV treated with PDT combined with IAI as well as 2-years of follow-up data. Fellow eyes were divided into 4 groups; Group 0: no drusen, Group 1; pachydrusen, Group 2; soft drusen, Group 3: PCV/fibrovascular scarring. Best-corrected visual acuity improved at 24-months irrespective of groups and there were no significant differences in visual improvement among treated eyes among the 4 groups. Within 2-years, 35 (58.3%) required the retreatment. The need for retreatment including additional injection and the combination therapy was significantly less in Group 1(12.5%) compared to the others (P = 0.0038) and mean number of additional IAI was also less in Group 1 compared to the others (P = 0.017). The retreatment-free period from the initial combination therapy was longest in Group 1 (23.6 ±1.1 months) (P = 0.0055, Group 0: 19.1±6.9, Group 2: 12.8±7.9, Group 3: 11.5±9.9). The need for retreatment was significantly different according to fellow-eye condition. Among PCV patients, pachydrusen in fellow eyes appear to be a predictive characteristic for a decreased treatment burden at 2 years.