Intravitreal Ranibizumab Therapy for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration with a Predominantly Hemorrhagic Lesion

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To report the efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab monotherapy in patients with age-related macular degeneration with a predominantly hemorrhagic lesion. METHODS: Nineteen eyes of 19 patients with submacular hemorrhage involving the fovea were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab (0.5 mg/0.05 ml) injections as needed. All patients completed at least 4 months of follow-up. Ophthalmologic examinations, fluorescence angiographic evaluations, optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination, and hemorrhage size were analyzed before the injections, and at 1,2,4,6, and 12 months follow-up. RESULTS: The average VA and mean central retinal thickness (CRT) before ranibizumab treatment were 0.62 +/- 0.39 log MAR and 335.76 +/- 111.22 microm, respectively. Additionally, the VA and CRT four months after the initial injections were 0.54 +/- 0.43 log MAR and 241.42 +/- 107.55 microm, respectively. The mean size of the hemorrhage was significantly reduced from 2.87 +/- 2.44 DA (disk areas) at baseline to 0.9 +/- 1.28 DA at four month follow up. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal injection of ranibizumab is an effective treatment option for patients with age-related macular degeneration with a predominantly hemorrhagic lesion.