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Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab monotherapy in patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration. Material and Method: This was a non-randomized, observational, retrospective trial during the period from April 2008 to January 2010 with data collection of 73 eyes from 65 consecutive CNV patients who underwent ranibizumab injection. Data collection at all visits included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), detailed ophthalmological examination, optical coherence tomography measurements, fluorescein angiography (FA) and retinal photography. All patients were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab, three times monthly. Additional ranibizumab was performed if one of the following changes was observed: spread of the lesion, increased central macular thickness (>300 μm), signs of active CNV leakage on FA, new hemorrhage, or loss of BCVA ≥5 letters on the ETDRS chart. The patients were followed up monthly. Results: 33 patients were female and 32 were male with a mean age of 71.3±9.4 (range: 40-90) years. The mean follow-up period was 6.8±4.9 (range: 4-20) months. 21 patients (28.8%) were pseudophakic. Occult CNV was present in 45 eyes (61.4%), classic CNV in 23 (31.8%) eyes, and fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachment was present in 5 (6.8%) eyes. The mean BCVA was 0.8±0.5 logMAR before the injection and 0.6±0.4 logMAR at the last visit. The mean BCVA significantly improved (p=0.001) in all eyes, but there was no statistical difference between the subgroups (p>0.05). There was no major complication related to the injections. Discussion: Intravitreal ranibizumab monotherapy was effective in increasing significantly and stabilizing BCVA in patients with CNV secondary to age-related macular degeneration. After ranibizumab treatment, regression of neovascularization was observed and no side effects were recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a choroidal neovascular membrane due to Behçet's disease is very rare. We report in this article the clinical characteristics and treatment of two patients with a subfoveal choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) due to Behçet's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we describe a case of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to basal laminar drusen, in which severe visual loss occurred after photodynamic therapy session. We changed the type of treatment to pegaptanib injections (Macugen®) for achieving regression of the recurrent neovascularization. During one-year, 8 intravitreal injections of pegaptanib has been performed every 6 weeks, and at the end of the follow-up; stabilization of the lesion was achieved with preservation of the visual acuity at the baseline value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the results of photodynamic therapy in patients with juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization related to age-related macular degeneration. Materials and Methods: Visual acuity testing, systemic ophthalmologic examination, color photographs, and fluorescein angiography were used to evaluate the results of photodynamic therapy. Follow-up examinations were scheduled at 1 month and 3 months after the treatment and thereafter every 3 months. Retreatments were considered when leakage was observed at the 3-month intervals. Results: Sixteen eyes of 16 patients with juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration were studied. Follow up ranged from 12 to 36 months. Mean visual acuity was 0.44 (±0.1) at baseline, 0.44 (±0.2) at 3 months, 0.43 (±0.2) at 6 months, and 0.40 (±0.2) at 12 months. At the end of the year, there was no change in visual acuity in 3 (19%) patients, a 1 or 3 line increase in 6 (38%) patients, and a 1 or 3 line decrease in 7 (44%) patients, with regard to baseline measurements. Conclusions: This study showed that in juxtafoveal choroid neovascularization related to age-related macular degeneration visual acuity could be stabilized for 12 months after photodynamic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]