Intravitreal bevacizumab versus photodynamic therapy for myopic choroidal neovascularization in a North-African population

Abstract

To compare the 1-year functional and anatomical outcomes of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) in patients with myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Review of retrospectively collected data of 80 eyes in 80 patients with myopic CNV treated with standard PDT (n = 40) or IVB (1.25mg/ 0.05ml) (n = 40). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) measured with optical coherence tomography (OCT) were compared between the two groups at baseline, 3, 6 and 12months. In the IVB group, mean BCVA was +0.9 ± 0.85 logMAR at baseline. Mean BCVA was significantly better at 3 and 6months than baseline (p = .0095 and p = .008, respectively) but not at 12months (p = .065). In the PDT group, mean BCVA was +0.88 ± 0.45 logMAR at baseline, and improved to +0.85 ± 0.62 logMAR at 3months and to +0.86 ± 0.44 logMAR at 6months, which was not significantly different from baseline. Mean BCVA then decreased to +0.9 ± 0.54 logMAR at 12months (p = .85). Mean logMAR VA was significantly better in the IVB group than in the PDT group after 3months (p = .0043), 6months (p = .0001) and 12months (p = .0168). Mean CRT was significantly lower in IVB group than in PDT group at 3, 6 and 12months (p = .008, p = .038, p = .040, respectively). Chorioretinal atrophy developed in six eyes (15%) treated with IVB and in 24 eyes (60%) treated with PDT at 12months (p = 3.2 × 10(-5)). Over a 12-month period, intravitreal bevacizumab seems to be superior to photodynamic therapy in controlling myopic CNV in a North-African population.