HOW VITREOMACULAR INTERFACE MODIFIES THE EFFICACY OF ANTI-VEGF THERAPY FOR MYOPIC CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULARIZATION.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab in the treatment of myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV) complicated by vitreoretinal interface alterations.

METHODS: Thirty-two patients affected by mCNV and concurrent vitreoretinal interface disorders, including macular epiretinal membrane (18 patients), lamellar macular hole (4 patients), full-thickness macular hole (1 patient), broad/focal vitreomacular traction (3 patients), broad/focal vitreomacular adhesion (4 patients), and myopic foveoschisis (2 patients), were enrolled in a prospective study. After a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fluorescein angiography, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, each patient received a first intravitreal ranibizumab. Further re-treatments were performed in the presence of choroidal neovascularization activity (new hemorrhages, leakage on fluorescein angiography, intraretinal/subretinal fluid on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, visual acuity loss of five letters). Main outcome measure was the change in the BCVA and in the central foveal thickness. Data were compared with the historical control group with uncomplicated mCNV.

RESULTS: The median BCVA in the epiretinal membrane-myopic choroidal neovascularization subgroup showed a stabilization from the baseline value of 0.30 logarithm of minimal angle resolution (20/40) to 0.40 (20/50, P: 0.49) at the last visit (30 ± 13 months). Median BCVA significantly improved from 0.30 (20/40) to 0.10 (20/25, P: 0.0005) in the mCNV group and was better than the epiretinal membrane-myopic choroidal neovascularization subgroup (0.008). Central foveal thickness reduced significantly within both groups, with no difference between the groups at the final examination. Considering the vitreoretinal alterations with lower prevalence, BCVA stabilization was registered after a follow-up of 28.9 ± 13 months, with a median BCVA of 0.3 logarithm of minimal angle resolution (20/40) at the baseline and at the final examination. A nonstatistically significant reduction in the median central foveal thickness was registered at the final examination (P: 0.12).

CONCLUSION: The data show that ranibizumab is effective in controlling mCNV activity when associated with vitreoretinal interface alterations. However, a visual recovery was observed only in patients with uncomplicated mCNV.