[Intravitreal aflibercept in high retinal pigment epithelial detachments]

To study the effectiveness of intravitreal aflibercept in high pigment epithelium detachment (PED) in eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

This study included 16 eyes of 16 patients (10 female and 6 male) aged 52 to 82 years (mean age 68.56±2.31 years). Examination of patients included determination of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), biomicroscopy with Goldmann lens, photographic recording of the ocular fundus, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT-angiography. Results of the treatment were evaluated 1 month after the third injection of aflibercept. Among the analyzed parameters were: BCVA, maximum PED height, resorption of perifocal neuroepithelium detachment (NED), expressiveness of hyperreflective content of PED.

One months into the treatment, after the third injection, mean BCVA improved by 0.09 to 0.36±0.04, height of PED decreased in average by 225.3±44.6 µm to 326.88±25.13 µm. Complete resolution of PED was not achieved in any of the cases. Resulting mean height of perifocal PED was 61.25±12.87 µm. Full resorption of PED was achieved in 4 eyes. Expressiveness of hyperreflective content of PED higher than 50% was observed in 13 eyes (81.25%).

The results of intravitreal aflibercept in AMD patients with high PED have proved its effectiveness in reducing maximum PED height, improving resorption of perifocal NED and BCVA. Optically 'empty' PEDs had higher sensitivity to intravitreal aflibercept than hyperreflective PEDs. Statistically significant dependence of BCVA on the height and content of PED was absent.