[Multifocal electroretinography for therapeutic effect evaluation of intravitreal injection Lucentis for wet age-related macular degeneration].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes in retinal functions using multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) following intravitreal injection of Lucentis for treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.

METHODS: This prospective study was conducted in 14 patients (9 men and 5 women, 14 eyes) with wet age-related macular degeneration receiving treatment with intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (Lucentis) in our hospital between October, 2014 and January, 2016. All the patients received the treatment following a 1+PRN protocol and after the initial injection, the patients were followed up monthly for 6 months to decide if additional injections were needed. The corrected visual acuity and mfERG findings of the patients were assessed before and at l, 3 and 6 months after the initial injection.

RESULTS: At the last follow-up, the patients received injections for a mean of 2.86∓1.58 times. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 1 month after the initial treatment was not significantly different from that before treatment (P=0.07), but showed significant improvements at 3 and 6 months (P<0.05). In mfERG, the implicit time of the 6 rings showed no significant decrease after the treatment, but the amplitude density of P1 and N1 in rings 1 and 2 improved significantly at 1, 3, and 6 months after the initial injection (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Multifocal electroretinography can serve as a useful modality for evaluating visual function changes in patients receiving intravitreal injection of Lucentis for wet age-related macular degeneration.