Intravitreal bevacizumab for peripapillary subretinal neovascular membrane associated to papilledema: a case report

The purpose of this report is to document the use of bevacizumab as treatment of peripapillary subretinal neovascular membrane associated to idiopathic intracranial hypertension. This case reports a 31-year-old obese female with chronic papilledema due to idiopathic intracranial hypertension that developed an acute submacular hemorrhage due to a choroidal neovascular membrane in her left eye. Two separate intravitreal injections of bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.5 ml) were administered with six weeks apart. Fourteen weeks after the initial injection her visual acuity improved to 20/40 in her left eye with associated angiographic resolution of the hemorrhage. Bevacizumab appears to be an effective option for patients who have subretinal neovascular membranes due to papilledema. Although choroidal neovascularization may have different pathogenic mechanisms, our case report demonstrates encouraging results without adverse ocular or systemic side effects.