Visual Outcomes after Anti-VEGF Therapy for Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Real-Life Setting

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Diseases
• Medical Treatments

Background:

• Exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) poses a significant challenge to vision.
• Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents are a primary treatment modality.
• Real-world effectiveness data are crucial for understanding treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the visual outcomes of anti-VEGF therapy in a real-life setting for exudative AMD.
• To assess the long-term efficacy and safety of ranibizumab and/or aflibercept.
• To analyze visual acuity changes in different patient subgroups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series of 102 eyes from 76 patients with exudative AMD.
• Treatment administered with ranibizumab and/or aflibercept.
• Visual acuity (VA) assessed using ETDRS letters, analyzed with specialized software.
• Patients categorized into subgroups based on initial VA (≥70 or ≤69 ETDRS letters).

Main Results:

• Mean VA improved by month 12 and showed a slow decrease by month 150.
• Maximum VA improvement observed within the first 10 months of treatment.
• Atrophy and fibrosis were primary causes for VA decline.
• Ten serious adverse events reported, including cardiovascular events and intraocular inflammation.

Conclusions:

• Anti-VEGF therapy in a real-world setting yields favorable visual acuity outcomes for exudative AMD.
• The safety profile of anti-VEGF agents in this cohort was acceptable.
• Long-term management requires monitoring for potential vision loss due to structural changes.