INTRAVITREAL BEVACIZUMAB FOR THE TREATMENT OF CHOROIDAL HEMANGIOMAS

To investigate the use of intravitreal bevacizumab for the treatment of subretinal fluid (SRF) and intraretinal fluid associated with circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas.

This was a retrospective review of all patients treated with at least three bevacizumab injections for circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas-associated SRF between May 2020 and August 2023 in Moorfields eye hospital. Outcome measures included change in best-corrected visual acuity, change in patient-reported symptoms, change in SRF, and change in central subfield thickness. Data on further management after cessation of injections were analyzed.

The study included nine patients. Median best-corrected visual acuity was 6/19 before and 6/24 after injections ( P = 0.41). Central subfield thickness decreased from a median of 466 to 447 µ m ( P = 0.11). Two thirds of (n = 6) patients did not show any reduction in foveal SRF, one third (n = 3) showed a partial reduction, and no patients had a complete resolution of SRF. Eight patients received rescue-photodynamic therapy, and one received external beam radiotherapy. Best-corrected visual acuity changed from a median of 6/60 to a median of 6/12 after rescue treatment ( P = 0.63). The median central subfield thickness decreased significantly from 470 µ m to 249 µ m ( P = 0.01).

Intravitreal bevacizumab is unlikely to be an effective treatment for exudative circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas.