Intravitreal bevacizumab for the management of age-related macular degeneration.

The aim of this study is to report short-term effect of the treatment of "wet" ARMD (age-related macular degeneration) with intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin). Prospective study included 36 patients (36 eyes) with "wet' form of ARMD. All patients were over 60 year old (22 female, 14 male). Changes of macula included minimally classic CNV (choroidal neovascularisation) (24), occult subfoveal CNV (10) and first stage of cicatrial CNV (2). Bevacizumab 1.25 mg was administered intravitreally through pars plana using a 27-gauge needle. Patients had no previous eye treatment. Ophthalmic exam before and after the treatment included: Snellen VA (visual acuity) and examination including measurement of IOP (intraocular pressure), FA (fluorescein angiography) and interview with patients. After 4-6 weeks 28 (78%) patients had significant improvement of VA. Median VA improved from 0.083 to 0.200 (p<0.01). Eight patients (22%) had no significant improvement in VA but three of them reported to see more light. FA showed complete resolution of macular edema in 6 patients (17%), partially resolved in 23 patients (64%) and no change in 7 patients (19%). No systemic side-effect was found. Short-term results suggest that intravitreally administered bevacizumab is well tolerated treatment for ARMD with very high number of patients showing improvement in VA.