Analysis of the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab injection for the treatment of neovascular glaucoma

Objective To analyse the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab injection for the treatment of neovascular glaucoma. Methods The clinical data of 18 eyes of 14 patients with neovascular glaucoma were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were randomly and evenly divided into two groups. Group A, 9 eyes of 7 patients received intravitreal injection of ranibizumab, and they underwent panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) after the IOP was low. Goup B, 9 eyes of 7 patients were treated with drug or surgery for reducing IOP and received PRP. The changes of intraocular pressure and visual acuity were observed in the two groups after treatment. Results The intraocular pressure decreased in 8 eyes of 6 patients of group A, and PRP was performed immediately. In group B, 4 eyes of 4 patients were treated with PRP after intraocular pressure decreased with drugs. Five eyes of 3 cases with uncontrolled intraocular pressure received trabeculectomy. Before treatment, the average IOP in group A was (46.12±9.87) mmHg and after treatment was (16.83±0.43) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), and the difference was statistically significant (t=26.150, P=0.005). After treatment, all patients were followed up for 6 months.The IOP of group A was controlled and the IOP increased again in 8 eyes in group B at the end of follow-up. Conclusion Intravitreal ranibizumab injection can control IOP in patients with neovascular glaucoma and play a key role in subsequent treatment. Key words: Glaucoma, neovascular; Ranibizumab, intravitreal injection; Photocoagulation, panretinal