PURPOSE: To evaluate the retinal and choroidal thickness changes following intravitreal ranibizumab injection (IVR) for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: Twenty-eight eyes of 28 patients (average age 72.2) with newly diagnosed AMD (typical AMD 24 and PCV 4) were retrospectively examined during a 1-year follow-up. All cases first received 3 consecutive monthly injections and thereafter pro re nata (PRN) retreatment. Central retinal thickness and subfoveal choroidal thickness were measured before and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after initial treatment using optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: The average number of injections was 5.2 times. Mean central retinal thickness significantly decreased from 456 microm at baseline to 337 microm 1 month after IVR and 280 microm 1-year after initial IVR (respectively, p<0.01). Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 225 microm (typical AMD was 227 microm at baseline) at baseline, 225 microm 6 months after initial IVR and 220 microm 1-year after initial IVR. There was no significant difference compared to baseline (p = 0.78 and 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: Although central retinal thickness of AMD decreased even 1-year after initial IVR, subfoveal choroidal thickness remained at 6 months and 1-year after initial IVR. Subfoveal choroidal thickness of AMD is less affected by IVR in the long term.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the retinal and choroidal thickness changes following intravitreal ranibizumab injection (IVR) for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: Twenty-eight eyes of 28 patients (average age 72.2) with newly diagnosed AMD (typical AMD 24 and PCV 4) were retrospectively examined during a 1-year follow-up. All cases first received 3 consecutive monthly injections and thereafter pro re nata (PRN) retreatment. Central retinal thickness and subfoveal choroidal thickness were measured before and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after initial treatment using optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: The average number of injections was 5.2 times. Mean central retinal thickness significantly decreased from 456 microm at baseline to 337 microm 1 month after IVR and 280 microm 1-year after initial IVR (respectively, p<0.01). Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 225 microm (typical AMD was 227 microm at baseline) at baseline, 225 microm 6 months after initial IVR and 220 microm 1-year after initial IVR. There was no significant difference compared to baseline (p = 0.78 and 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: Although central retinal thickness of AMD decreased even 1-year after initial IVR, subfoveal choroidal thickness remained at 6 months and 1-year after initial IVR. Subfoveal choroidal thickness of AMD is less affected by IVR in the long term.