LONG-TERM OUTCOMES OF ANTI-VEGF THERAPY FOR MACULAR NEOVASCULARIZATION IN PRPH2-ASSOCIATED RETINOPATHY.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Genetics
• Retinal Diseases

Background:

• PRPH2-associated retinopathy is a genetic condition.
• Macular neovascularization (MNV) can complicate this retinopathy.
• Long-term outcomes of anti-VEGF therapy for MNV in this context are not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term functional and structural results of intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy.
• To assess outcomes specifically in patients with PRPH2-associated retinopathy and MNV.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series of patients with molecularly confirmed PRPH2-associated retinopathy and MNV.
• Compared best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central subfield thickness (CST) between treated MNV eyes and fellow eyes.
• Median follow-up of 6.2 years.

Main Results:

• 83% of eyes retained good visual acuity (≥20/32 Snellen) after a median of 5.5 anti-VEGF injections.
• Central subfield thickness (CST) decreased significantly (-69 μm).
• Persistent sub-RPE neovascular networks were observed in 67% of eyes via OCT angiography.

Conclusions:

• Timely intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy leads to favorable long-term outcomes for MNV in PRPH2-associated retinopathy.
• Further investigation is required to understand the role of sub-RPE neovascular networks.
• Anti-VEGF therapy is a viable treatment option for this rare condition.