Intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) for choroidal neovascularisation secondary to pathological myopia: 6-month results.

BACKGROUND To determine the efficacy and safety of intravitreal Avastin (bevacizumab) in the treatment of choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) secondary to pathological myopia (PM). METHODS This paper reports on a consecutive prospective study of patients with CNV secondary to PM who were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 ml). Patients underwent complete ophthalmic evaluation, which included best-corrected visual acuity testing measured with Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study charts, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiography. RESULTS There were 17 eyes of 17 patients, and the mean age was 55.4 (SD 10.0) years. At the 6-month follow-up, the mean visual acuity improved by 8.4 letters (p = 0.04). Forty-one per cent of patients increased at least one line, and 17% increased more than six lines. There were no cases of moderate vision loss (>or=3 lines) or severe vision loss (>or=6 lines). The mean OCT foveal thickness decreased by 79.6 mum (p = 0.002). Favourable outcomes were obtained in all subgroups. Patients received an average of one injection. As a complication, there was a tear of the retinal pigment epithelium. No other ocular or systemic side effects were observed. CONCLUSION In our study, intravitreal bevacizumab appeared to be safe and efficacious in eyes with CNV secondary to PM.