Treatment of peripapillary choroidal neovascular membranes with intravitreal bevacizumab.

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the effect of intravitreal injections of bevacizumab in the treatment of peripapillary choroidal neovascular membranes.

Methods: Interventional case series of patients with active peripapillary choroidal neovascular membranes. Ophthalmological examination included best-corrected visual acuity, fundus biomicroscopy, fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Bevacizumab injections (1.25 mg) were repeated monthly for the first three months. Re-treatment was considered if there were signs of membrane activity.

Results: Six eyes of five patients with peripapillary choroidal membranes were included in the study with a mean follow-up of 13 months (range 6 to 16). Bevacizumab was used as the initial treatment in four eyes and to manage recurrences after surgery in the other two. In five eyes three injections of bevacizumab led to a complete resolution of leakage on fluorescein angiography and OCT. In one eye, membrane activity persisted despite six injections of bevacizumab. Visual acuity improved in five eyes with a mean improvement of 4 lines (average: 2-10 lines). It deteriorated only in the eye that did not to respond to treatment.

Conclusions: The results of this case series suggest that the intravitreal injection of bevacizumab may be an effective treatment for peripapillary choroidal membranes.