Short-term effect of intravitreal injection of Ranibizumab (Lucentis) on intraocular pressure

To investigate short-term effect on intraocular pressure (IOP) after intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (Lucentis) (IVIL).

This prospective study included 1 eye of 54 patients (64+/-12 y) with wet age-related macular degeneration treated with IVIL. IOP measurements with TonoPen were taken: immediately before and 5 seconds, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 minutes, and 1 day after IVIL. Axial length (with ultrasound biometry) was assessed in 24 eyes. The analysis included IOP difference at various time points and between phakic and pseudophakic eyes and the relationship between axial length and IOP increases after 5 seconds.

Mean IOP were 16.3+/-3.0 mm Hg (range: 12.0 to 21.3), 44.1+/-10.6 (22.0 to 59.3), 29.0+/-9.6 (15.0 to 49.0), 25.8+/-7.9 (16.0 to 45.0), 23.7+/-6.6 (15.7 to 39.0), 21.9+/-5.6 (14.7 to 37.0), 18.8+/-6.1 (10.0 to 35.0), and 16.1+/-3.0 (11.0 to 21.0), respectively, for time points immediately before, 5 seconds, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 minutes, and 1 day after IVIL. Differences between before IVIL and after IVIL IOP were statistically significant after 5 seconds, 5, 10, 15, and 30 minutes (P=0.0001); however, were not significant after 1 hour (P=0.064) and 1 day (P=0.449). Differences between phakic and pseudophakic eyes were not significant (P>0.05). The relationship between shorter axial length and IOP increase after 5 seconds was significant (linear regression analysis; R=0.28, P=0.007).

IVIL causes a considerable short-term transient rise in IOP. The IOP increase after IVIL can be statistically significant at 0 to 30 minutes after injection in both phakic and pseudophakic eyes, and tends to be greater in shorter eyes.