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Purpose: To investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of intravitreal brolucizumab (BRZ) injections in patients with typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration (typical nAMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV)., Methods: This multicentre retrospective study included 401 eyes of 398 patients with nAMD who received BRZ injection(s), with a follow-up duration of ≥12 months. Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), retinal fluid evaluation and central subfield thickness (CST) on optical coherence tomography were assessed. The efficacy of BRZ was compared between typical nAMD and PCV groups., Results: Analyses were conducted with 280 eyes of 278 patients with typical nAMD and 121 eyes of 120 patients with PCV (mean age, 71.1 ± 8.6 years). 29 eyes (7.2%) were treatment naïve. The mean follow-up period was 15.3 ± 2.8 months; the mean number of BRZ injections within 1 year was 4.5 ± 1.7. BCVA was maintained during the follow-up period, and CST significantly improved from the first injection month and was maintained for 12 months in both the typical nAMD and PCV groups. The dry macula proportion increased from 2.7% at baseline to 56.1% at 1 month and 42.9% at 12 months. Among the 18 eyes that underwent indocyanine green angiography both before and after treatment, 10 (55.6%) showed polyp regression. Overall, the incidence of intraocular inflammation (IOI), retinal vasculitis and occlusive retinal vasculitis was 9.4% (38 eyes), 1.2% (5 eyes) and 0.5% (2 eyes), respectively. IOI occurred from the first to the sixth injections, with an average IOI onset of 28.5 ± 1.4 days. All eyes achieved IOI resolution, although the two eyes with occlusive retinal vasculitis showed a severe visual decline after IOI resolution., Conclusion: Brolucizumab was effective in maintaining BCVA and managing fluid in eyes with nAMD for up to 1 year, exhibiting a high polyp regression rate. However, the not uncommon incidence of IOI and the severe visual decline caused by the rare occlusive retinal vasculitis following BRZ treatment underscore the importance of careful monitoring and timely management., (© 2024 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: To assess treatment response of Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in a Caucasian population of British ethnicity with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections alone and with a combination of anti-VEGF injections and photodynamic therapy (PDT)., Setting/venue: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom., Methods: Retrospective review of 95 Caucasian patients in a single centre with diagnosis of PCV between 2013 and 2018 were included. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) characteristics, numbers and type of treatment were analysed at baseline and at 1 year., Results: One hundred and one eyes included from 95 patients received either anti-VEGF injections (n = 79, 78.2%) alone or combination therapy with anti-VEGF and PDT (n = 6, 6%). A third untreated group was also observed (n = 16, 15.8%). Five eyes were excluded from the study due to structural retinal damage. Mean number of injections was 7.3 in the monotherapy group and 6.5 in the combination group. Both treatment groups showed improvement in BCVA at 1 year and this was statistically significant in the monotherapy group with a mean gain of 8.3 letters (p < 0.001). Mean CRT decreased in all treatment groups at twelve months and this change was significant (p < 0.01). In the observation group, vision and CRT remained stable., Conclusions: This study demonstrates significant improvements in BCVA at one year in our Caucasian cohort of British ethnicity with PCV in the treatment group., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Royal College of Ophthalmologists.)

Background: This study aims to evaluate the two-year outcomes of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) treated with conbercept and to investigate the predictive response factors., Methods: Consecutive patients with PCV who received three-loading intravitreal conbercept, followed by as-needed reinjections, were studied retrospectively. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT) and polyps were evaluated. Patients who achieved dry maculae in month 6 were categorised into the dry group, or otherwise, into the non-dry group. The predictive factors for a dry macula were evaluated., Results: A total of 25 eyes from 25 patients (17 males; mean age: 62.8 ± 6.4 years) were included. At month 24, the average BCVA increased significantly from 49.9 ± 15.0 letters to 57.2 ± 16.0 letters (p = 0.040); the average CRT decreased significantly from 430.16 ± 166.55 μm to 278.31 ± 157.34 μm (p = 0.00), and 88% of the eyes achieved dry maculae. The number of polyps changed from 55 to 20 (fading rate: 63.6%; p < 0.001). The mean number of intravitreal injections was 8.6 ± 5.4. The dry group (10 eyes, 40%) was more likely to have higher branching vascular network vessel density (BVN VD; p = 0.021), submacular haemorrhages (p = 0.011) but lack polyp-related serous pigmented epithelial detachment (PED) (p = 0.037)., Conclusions: Conbercept was effective in eyes with PCV at maintaining functional and anatomical improvement. Baseline characteristics, including BVN VD, the presence of polyps with serous PED and submacular haemorrhage, seemed to be related to the response to conbercept., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To investigate the influence of submacular hemorrhage (SMH) at baseline on long-term visual outcomes of patients with typical age-related macular degeneration (tAMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) treated with intravitreal aflibercept (IVA)., Methods: In this retrospective study, eyes of treatment-naïve patients with tAMD and PCV who initiated IVA under a treat-and-extend regimen and were followed up for ≥ 5 years were classified into the tAMD-SMH ( +), tAMD-SMH (-), PCV-SMH ( +), and PCV-SMH (-) groups based on the presence of SMH at baseline. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) changes and macular fibrosis and atrophy incidences were assessed., Results: This study included 127 eyes (127 patients), including 51 with tAMD and 76 with PCV; 18 eyes had SMH at baseline. In the tAMD-SMH ( +) group (n = 6), the mean logMAR BCVA significantly deteriorated from 0.59 ± 0.45 at baseline to 0.88 ± 0.47 at the final visit (P = 0.024). No significant BCVA changes were observed in the tAMD-SMH (-) (n = 45), PCV-SMH ( +) (n = 12), or PCV-SMH (-) (n = 64) groups (all P > 0.05). The tAMD-SMH ( +) group showed a significantly higher incidence of macular fibrosis at the final visit than did the tAMD-SMH (-) group (P = 0.042). There was no influence of baseline SMH on the macular fibrosis incidence in eyes with PCV and the macular atrophy incidence in eyes with tAMD and PCV., Conclusion: The presence of SMH at baseline resulted in poorer long-term visual acuity in eyes with tAMD, even with aflibercept treatment. However, no such influence was observed in eyes with PCV., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

To investigate long-term treatment outcomes of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) with classic type leakage and to compare the outcomes with those of PCV without classic type leakage. This retrospective study included 153 patients diagnosed with PCV and treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Patients showing classic type leakage on fluorescein angiography were included in the classic type leakage group (N = 40, 26.1%), and those without classic type leakage were included in the occult group (N = 113, 73.9%). The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at baseline and 24 months, changes in BCVA, incidence of fibrosis, and lesion reactivation after initial loading injections were compared between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the baseline BCVA between the classic type leakage group (mean logarithm of minimal angle of resolution 0.67 ± 0.53[Snellen equivalents = 20/93]) and the occult group (0.55 ± 0.49[20/70])(P = 0.639). In addition, the BCVA at 24 months (0.44 ± 0.53[20/55] vs. 0.38 ± 0.41[20/47])(P = 1.000), changes in BCVA (0.22 ± 0.42 improvement[2.2 lines] vs. 0.16 ± 0.36 improvement[1.6 lines]) (P = 0.366), and lesion reactivation (P = 0.787) did not differ between the two groups. The incidence of fibrosis was higher in the classic type leakage group (37.5%) than in the occult group (14.2%) (P = 0.002). Although the incidence of fibrosis was higher in PCVs with classic type leakage, the overall treatments were not significantly different between PCVs with and without classic type leakage. In addition, substantial visual improvement was noted at 24 months, suggesting that PCVs with classic type leakage can be effectively treated with anti-VEGF therapy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Objectives : Our study compared the visual and anatomical outcomes of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) patients receiving intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) with or without photodynamic therapy (PDT) over 12 months. Materials and Methods : This retrospective study was performed for 60 eyes from 60 patients with treatment-naïve PCV. Thirty eyes were treated using IVA monotherapy (IVA group), and thirty eyes were treated using a combination of IVA with PDT (IVA/PDT group). The baseline characteristics, treatment outcomes, and retreatment rates were compared between the two groups over a one-year follow-up period. Results : The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was found to have improved significantly in the IVA/PDT group at every 3-month visit. However, no significant BCVA improvement was observed in the IVA group. A significantly lower retreatment rate and higher dry macula rate were found in the IVA/PDT group than that in the IVA group. In the entire population of the study, a better baseline vision and younger age were associated with better final visual outcomes. Retreatment was associated with poor baseline BCVA and IVA monotherapy. Conclusions : The combination of IVA and PDT may offer superior visual improvement and a higher dry macula rate compared to IVA monotherapy in the treatment of PCV patients while requiring fewer retreatments over 12 months.

Purpose: To report a very rare and atypical case of an elderly Caucasian female patient who developed perilesional multiple polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) as a probable complication of choroidal osteoma (CO), associated to preretinal neovascular membrane overlying the lesion., Methods: Observational case report., Case Observation: A 60-year-old Caucasian woman presented with blurred vision in her right eye (RE). Fundus examination revealed a round white-yellowish calcified deep lesion in the juxta-papillary superior area, measuring 4 disc-diameters, with well-defined scalloped margins and an irregular surface. B-scan ultrasonography and orbital tomography confirmed the diagnosis of choroidal osteoma (CO). Further investigation with multimodal imaging including infracyanine green angiography, fluorescein angiography, swept source optical coherence tomography and angiography highlighted the presence of multiple aneurysmal choroidal dilations around the CO, corresponding to PCV. We also noted the presence of a preretinal neovascular membrane overlying the CO. The patient was monitored with regular follow-up since no signs of activity were detected on multimodal imaging., Conclusion: Our case report represents an exceptional and atypical association between pre-retinal neovascularization, PCV and choroidal osteoma. While the mechanisms underlying the development of PCV and pre-retinal neovascularization in the setting of CO are not well understood, it is imperative for ophthalmologists to recognize this association as a potential cause of sudden vision loss in patients with CO, and to consider appropriate diagnostic and management strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Purpose: To investigate the distinct characteristics between young and elderly polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) patients based on the pachy- or non-pachychoroid phenotypes., Methods: PCV patients treated with intravitreal injections of Conbercept based on the 3 + PRN regimen from 27 centers of China PCV Research Alliance were included. Patients were categorized into the young and the elderly aged group based on the cut-off point determined using the Youden method according to the pachychoroid phenotypes. The characteristics of past medical history, lifestyle factors, fundus manifestations, and treatment response between the subgroups were analyzed., Results: Three hundred eight eligible patients were included. Multivariate logistic regression showed a significant association between age and PCV subtype classification (OR = 0.921, P = 0.002). A cutoff age of 64.5 effectively distinguished between pachychoroid PCV and non-pachychoroid PCV (P < 0.001). Elderly PCV patients had a higher incidence of hypertension history (P = 0.044) but a lower incidence of diabetes history (P = 0.027). In terms of lifestyle, smoking history (P = 0.015) and staying up late (P = 0.004) were more significant in the young group of PCV patients. For clinical characteristics, the proportion of hemorrhagic PCV in the young group was significantly higher (P = 0.038), with a higher proportion of sharp-peaked PED (P = 0.049), thicker choroid (P < 0.001) but a lower portion of double-layer sign (P = 0.023) in OCT. Both groups showed significant anatomical changes compared to baseline in each follow-up period (P < 0.05), with the young group having a higher proportion of good anatomical response after the first injection (P = 0.009)., Conclusion: PCV patients stratified by subtype exhibit distinct characteristics between the young and elderly groups., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: To compare the visual outcome and fluid features of a proposed biosimilar, CKD-701, versus the reference ranibizumab in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV)., Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of a phase 3 randomized clinical trial assessing the efficacy and safety of CKD-701 and ranibizumab. A total of 73 PCV eyes were assigned randomly to either CKD-701 (36 eyes) or ranibizumab (37 eyes). The mean changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), pigment epithelial detachment (PED) volume, and fluid features were compared., Results: After three loading injections, the mean change in BCVA (letters) was +7.50 in the CKD-701 group and +6.32 in the ranibizumab group ( p  = .447). The changes in CRT and PED volume of the CKD-701 group (-107.25 ± 102.66 μm and -0.22 ± 0.46 mm 3 ) were similar to those of the ranibizumab group (-96.78 ± 105.00 μm and -0.23 ± 0.54 mm 3 ) ( p  = .668 and p  = .943, respectively). Proportions of eyes with subretinal, intraretinal and sub-retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) fluids after three loading injections were not different between CKD-701 group (33.3%, 13.9% and 42.9%) and ranibizumab group (51.4%, 16.2% and 40.0%) ( p  = .071, p  = 1.000 and p  = .808). The visual and anatomical changes were similar between two groups at month 6 and 12 (all, p  > .05)., Conclusion: Biosimilar CKD-701 monotherapy resulted in comparable visual and anatomical changes to those achieved with reference ranibizumab in PCV eyes.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal brolucizumab in polyp regression of treatment-naive polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) patients and its effect on 1-year treatment outcome., Methods: Medical records of 31 treatment-naive PCV patients, who received three monthly intravitreal brolucizumab injections followed by as-needed injections for at least a year, were retrospectively reviewed. Visual and anatomical outcomes were evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months. Complete polyp regression rate and percentage change of vascular lesion and polyp area were evaluated after three monthly injections of brolucizumab. The effect of complete polyp regression and the impact of vascular lesion and polyp reduction rate on 1-year treatment outcome were also evaluated., Results: In terms of visual outcome, best-corrected visual acuity significantly improved after 12-month follow-up (p &lt; 0.001). In terms of anatomical outcome, central macular thickness (CMT) and central choroidal thickness significantly decreased after 12-month follow-up (p &lt; 0.001). Complete polyp regression was observed in 23 patients (74.2%) after three monthly injections. Group with complete polyp regression had a higher rate of achieving dry macula at 3 months (p = 0.026) and fewer number of injections (p &lt; 0.001) compared to the group without complete polyp regression. Higher polyp reduction rate was significantly associated with higher CMT change from baseline at 3 months (p = 0.048) while higher vascular lesion reduction rate was significantly associated with higher CMT change from baseline at 12 months (p = 0.031) and fewer number of injections (p = 0.012)., Conclusions: Intravitreal brolucizumab injection effectively improved visual and anatomical outcomes and achieved significant polyp regression in treatment-naive PCV patients. Complete polyp regression and the reduction rate of vascular lesion size and polyp size after loading injection significantly influence the treatment outcome of PCV patients. However, careful monitoring and preoperative warning is warranted due to occurrence of brolucizumab-related IOI.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to compare the outcome of submacular hemorrhage (SMH) displacement using pneumatic displacement with intravitreal expansile gas versus pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with subretinal injection of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agent, and air as primary surgery., Methods: Retrospective interventional case series of 63 patients who underwent surgical displacement of SMH secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) or polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) from May 1, 2015, to October 31, 2022. Medical records were reviewed for diagnosis, logMAR visual acuity (VA), central subfield thickness (CST), and postoperative displacement rates and complications up to 12 months after operation., Results: The diagnosis was nAMD in 24 (38.1%) and PCV in 39 (61.9%) eyes. There were 40 (63.5%) eyes in the pneumatic displacement group (38 received C3F8, 2 received SF6) and 23 (36.5%) eyes in the subretinal cocktail injection. Mean baseline VA was 1.46 and 1.62, respectively (p = 0.404). The subretinal injection group had more extensive SMH (p = 0.005), thicker CST (1,006.6 μm vs. 780.2 μm, p = 0.012), and longer interval between symptom and operation (10.65 vs. 5.53 days, p &lt; 0.001). The mean postoperative VA at 6 months was 0.67 and 0.91 (p = 0.180) for pneumatic displacement and subretinal injection groups, respectively, though VA was significantly better in the pneumatic group at 12-month visit (0.64 vs. 1.03, p = 0.040). At least 10 mean change in VA were &gt;10 letters gain in both groups up to 12 months. Postoperative CST reduction was greater (625.1 μm vs. 326.5 μm, p = 0.008) and complete foveal displacement (87.0% vs. 37.5%), p &lt; 0.001, odds ratio [OR] = 11.1) and displacement to arcade or beyond (52.5% vs. 17.5%, p = 0.009, OR = 5.15) were more frequent in the subretinal injection group. Two patients with failed pneumatic displacement were successfully treated with subretinal cocktail injection as a second operation., Conclusion: Surgical displacement of SMH leads to clinically meaningful improvement in VA. PPV with subretinal cocktail injection is more effective than pneumatic displacement in displacing SMH with similar safety profile despite longer interval before operation, higher CST, and more extensive SMH at baseline. Retinal surgeons could consider this novel technique in cases with thick and extensive SMH or as a rescue secondary operation in selected cases., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Purpose: To understand timing of complete polypoidal regression on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) after aflibercept injections for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV)., Design: Multicenter prospective study., Participants: Adults with treatment-naïve PCV., Methods: After institutional review board approval, participants were enrolled and followed up for 1 year, from Apr 1, 2016, through Dec 30, 2018, at 2 university-based centers in Thailand. Diagnosis of PCV was based on the Efficacy and Safety of Verteporfin Photodynamic Therapy in Combination with Ranibizumab or Alone versus Ranibizumab Monotherapy in Patients with Symptomatic Macular Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy criteria. Eligible eyes received fixed-dose aflibercept injections (3 monthly then every 8 weeks), or monthly if fluid persisted on OCT. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was administered when fluid persisted despite 6 consecutive injections. Indocyanine green angiography was performed at baseline and then every 8 weeks. The 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) was administered at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year. Two retina specialists reviewed posttreatment ICGA, categorized into: complete regression (complete disappearance of polypoidal lesions), partial regression (reduced in size or number), or no regression. Disagreements were resolved through open adjudication., Main Outcome Measures: Timing of complete regression over 1 year., Results: Final analysis included 40 eyes (39 participants; 100% Thai, 59% women; mean age±standard deviation, 64 ± 8.3 years). At baseline, 90% had 5 or more polypoidal lesions. Ninety-five percent received aflibercept monotherapy, and 5% received rescue PDT per protocol. Polypoidal statuses at 1 year were 55% complete, 40% partial, and 5% no regression. Cumulative rates of complete regression at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months were 28%, 33%, 43%, and 55%. Of 22 eyes with complete regression at 1 year, complete regression was identified first at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 months in 50%, 9%, 18%, 5%, 9%, and 9%, respectively. Cumulative rates of complete regression among these eyes at 2, 6, and 12 months were 50%, 77%, and 100%, respectively. Median duration of complete regression was 3 months (interquartile range, 2-6 months). Median visual acuity improved from 20/125 (Snellen equivalent) to 20/50; median NEI VFQ-25 scores improved from 80 to 93 from baseline to 1 year., Conclusions: Complete polypoidal regression could occur as early as 2 months after aflibercept injections. Most PCV eyes with complete polypoidal regression at 1 year already showed complete regression within the first 6 months. These findings support consideration of aflibercept for PCV to achieve both anatomic and visual outcomes., (Copyright © 2021 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate long-term results of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a rescue treatment in patients with type 1 neovascularization refractory to intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)., Methods: Patients who underwent reduced-fluence PDT for refractory type 1 neovascularization, which showed persistent subretinal and/or intraretinal fluid after three or more consecutive anti-VEGF treatments, and were followed up for ≥24 months were reviewed., Results: Seventy-eight eyes of 78 patients were included, and 37 (47%) were classified as polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). The mean number of anti-VEGF injections before rescue PDT was 8.5 ± 5.4, and the mean follow-up period after rescue PDT was 74.0 ± 29.4 months. At 3 months after rescue PDT, exudation completely resolved in 55 (71%) patients and vision significantly improved (p = 0.021). Resolution of exudation was associated with choroidal vascular hyperpermeability [odds ratio (OR), 3.82; p = 0.031] and lower maximal height of pigment epithelial detachment (OR, 0.69; p = 0.018). In these patients, exudation recurred in 49 (89%) after mean period of 13.5 months. Vision significantly worsened at 24 months after rescue PDT, and thereafter, and the vision decrease was more prominent in patients with PCV. Rescue PDT could be repeated for recurrent or persistent exudation without increasing the risk of complications., Conclusion: In patients with type 1 neovascularization refractory to anti-VEGF, reduced-fluence PDT is an effective and safe rescue treatment. Therapeutic efficacy wore off during long-term follow-up, but rescue PDT may be repeated safely., (© 2020 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: To investigate the incidence rate of massive submacular haemorrhage (SMH) and risk factors in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration (tnAMD)., Methods: A total of 465 patients who were diagnosed with either PCV (n = 245) or tnAMD (n = 220) from 2003 to 2014 were enrolled. Cumulative incidence of massive SMH in PCV and that in tnAMD were compared. Risk factors of massive SMH were also analysed., Results: Massive SMH occurred in 32 patients (13.1%) with PCV and 9 patients (4.1%) with tnAMD. Incidence rates of massive SMH 5 and 10 years after the first visit were 11.1% and 29.9% in PCV and 4.3% and 9.9% in tnAMD, respectively. Incidence rates of massive SMH in PCV were significantly higher than those in tnAMD (hazard ratio [HR], 2.66; p = 0.007). Cox regression analysis revealed that mean number of photodynamic therapies (PDTs) per year (HR, 4.24; p < 0.001), cluster type of polypoidal lesion (HR, 3.42; p = 0.003) in PCV, and mean number of anti-VEGF injections per year (HR, 1.58; p < 0.001) in tnAMD were significantly associated with risk of massive SMH. For patients with severe vision loss, proportion of incident massive SMH was significantly higher in PCV (29.5%) than in tnAMD (6.9%, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: The incidence rate of massive SMH in eyes with PCV was about three times higher than that in eyes with tnAMD. Treatment methods that can reduce the incidence of massive SMH should be considered, especially for eyes with PCV., (© 2020 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: To compare the 2-year outcomes of combination therapy using intravitreal ranibizumab and photodynamic therapy with those of fixed-dosing intravitreal aflibercept monotherapy as initial treatment for treatment-naïve polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 63 eyes of 61 patients with treatment-naïve polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy who had undergone at least 24 months of follow-up. In total, 43 eyes underwent intravitreal ranibizumab-photodynamic therapy combination therapy and 20 eyes underwent fixed-dosing intravitreal aflibercept monotherapy. Visual outcomes and the number of treatments were compared between the two groups., Results: The mean logarithm of minimal angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity significantly improved from 0.48 ± 0.41 at baseline to 0.30 ± 0.47 at 24 months in the intravitreal ranibizumab-photodynamic therapy group ( p = .0002) and from 0.30 ± 0.18 at baseline to 0.16 ± 0.18 at 24 months in the intravitreal aflibercept group ( p = .004), with no significant intergroup differences. The mean number of intravitreal ranibizumab or intravitreal aflibercept injections over 24 months was 5.7 ± 4.5 in the intravitreal ranibizumab-photodynamic therapy group and 12.2 ± 3.8 in the intravitreal aflibercept group ( p < .0001)., Conclusion: The intravitreal ranibizumab-photodynamic therapy combination therapy was noninferior to fixed-dosing intravitreal aflibercept monotherapy in improving visual acuity and required fewer injections.

Purpose: To investigate the long-term incidence and growth rate of chorioretinal atrophy (CRA) in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and determine the associated risk factors., Methods: The medical records of 88 patients with unilateral symptomatic PCV who received anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections with or without photodynamic therapy (PDT) were analyzed retrospectively. Near-infrared fundus imaging and spectral domain optical coherence tomography were used to measure the CRA area and growth rate. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to estimate the CRA incidence. Logistic and linear regression analyses were used to investigate risk factors (e.g., age, frequency of abnormal OCT findings, PDT history, total injection number, and choroidal thickness) associated with the CRA incidence and growth rate, respectively., Results: The overall CRA incidence was 40.8% at 5 years. The absence of subretinal fluid, the presence of intraretinal fluid, and a thin choroid were significant risk factors for CRA occurrence with a history of PDT. Overall 5-year CRA growth rate was 0.69 mm2/year. Faster CRA growth was significantly related to the presence of subretinal hyperreflective material and thin choroid. PDT history was not significantly related to CRA growth., Conclusions: Thin choroid may be a significant risk factor for long-term development and growth of CRA in eyes with PCV. Intraretinal fluid seems to promote the development of CRA, while subretinal fluid seems to be associated with CRA prevention. The history of PDT was significantly related to the occurrence of CRA, but not to the growth rate of CRA., (© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Purpose: To describe indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and visual acuity (VA) results in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) refractory to ranibizumab switched to aflibercept., Methods: This study is a prospective interventional case series. Thirty-two eyes of 32 patients with nAMD showing a poor response after at least 24 months of ranibizumab were switched to aflibercept. Twenty eyes had type I choroidal neovascularization (CNV group), and 12 eyes had polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV group). After an initial loading dose of three monthly aflibercept injections, treatment was continued on a treat-and-extend basis. ICGA was performed just before the first aflibercept injection (baseline) and 12 and 24 months later. The variables recorded were: closure of polyps and lesion area, VA, number of aflibercept injections, dry macula, and pigment epithelium detachment., Results: The following means were recorded in the CNV and PCV groups, respectively: number of ranibizumab injections 20.4 ± 11.2 and 22.4 ± 12.9 (p = 0.740); baseline VA (before aflibercept) 73.2 ± 9.1 and 70.3 ± 13.7 letters (p = 0.654); and final VA 73.0 ± 7.6 and 69.3 ± 15.6 letters (p = 0.509). VA remained stable (p = 0.761 and 0.964) after 15.5 ± 3 and 15.1 ± 3.5 aflibercept injections (p = 0.244). At 24 months, dry macula was noted in 40 to 50% of the eyes (p = 0.620). Complete resolution of polyps was observed in 58% at 12 months and 92% at 24 months., Conclusions: In patients with nAMD refractory to ranibizumab, aflibercept was effective at maintaining VA and closing numerous polyps. In half of the patients, dry macula was observed at 24 months.

Purpose: To examine the outcomes of vitrectomy with subretinal tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) injection and postoperative intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injection for submacular hemorrhage (SMH) associated with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV)., Study Design: Retrospective, consecutive case series., Methods: Patients who underwent vitrectomy for SMH associated with PCV and who were followed up for at least 12 months were included. Surgery consisted of vitrectomy with subretinal tPA and air tamponade. Postoperative intravitreal anti-VEGF was administered pro re nata. The following were examined: best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at baseline, at 1 month, and at the final visit; the percentage of patients requiring anti-VEGF postoperatively; and the number of injections administered., Results: This study included 23 eyes of 23 patients (21 men, 2 women) with a mean age of 72.5 ± 9.0 years. The mean duration from disease onset to surgery was 9.0 ± 6.6 days. The mean maximum SMH size was 5.8 ± 4.8 disc diameters. The mean follow-up period was 33 ± 14 months. The BCVA was significantly improved when compared with baseline 1 month after surgery and at the final visit. Postoperative anti-VEGF was required for 91% of the eyes. In eyes that underwent anti-VEGF therapy until the final visit, the mean injection number was 4.1/year., Conclusions: Vitrectomy with subretinal tPA and air tamponade improved visual acuity in patients with SMH associated with PCV. Postoperative intravitreal anti-VEGF injection maintained the improved BCVA throughout a mean period of 33 months.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate growth of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) without exudative findings assessed in en face optical coherence tomography (OCT) images and its clinical implications., Methods: Fifty patients who were diagnosed with PCV and had no disease activity after treatment with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) were included. Patients were followed up for at least 12 months. Measurement of best-corrected visual acuity and volume scan using swept-source OCT was performed at each visit. The neovascular area of PCV was assessed using en face OCT. Growth group comprised patients who showed increase in neovascular area in the en face images without exudative findings. The main outcome measure was relationship between growth of PCV and recurrence., Results: Among 50 eyes of 50 patients with average age of 68.5 ± 8.6 years, 25 (50%) eyes were included in the growth group. Exudative recurrence was noted more frequently in the growth group (18 eyes, 72%) than in the non-growth group (6 eyes, 24%, P = .002, odds ratio = 8.143). More injections were performed in the growth group (4.7 ± 2.1 vs. 1.9 ± 2.4, P = .002), but there was no difference in visual acuity at 1 year. After an exudative recurrence following the lesion growth, more frequent injections were required than before the recurrence to achieve no disease activity (P = .002)., Conclusion: PCV lesion growth without fluid preceded exudative recurrence and worsening of response to anti-VEGF treatment.

Purpose: To report the visual and anatomical outcomes of intravitreal ziv-aflibercept (IVZ) and bevacizumab (BVZ) monotherapy in treatment-naive polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV)., Methods: This was a retrospective case series of 16 eyes (8 eyes each in IVZ and BVZ groups). The study period was from January 2016 to March 2018. The inclusion criteria were treatment-naive PCV patients who were treated with either IVZ or BVZ monotherapy on pro re nata protocol and followed up monthly for 6 months. The change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), and pigment epithelial detachment (PED) height was measured at baseline and 6 months., Results: A total of 16 eyes were studied. IVZ group had an improvement in BCVA by 0.15 logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (logMAR; approximately 1.5 lines) at 6 months, whereas BVZ group had a reduction in BCVA by 0.21 logMAR (approximately 2 lines) (P = 0.027). Five patients and one patient in IVZ and BVZ groups, respectively, had ≥5 letters gain of BCVA. IVZ group had significant reduction in PED height (P = 0.048), whereas the change in CMT was not significant at 6 months (P = 0.681). The mean number of injections (2.87 ± 0.83 in IVZ and 2.25 ± 0.89 BVZ group; P = 0.168) and longest treatment-free interval (3.00 ± 2.20 months in IVZ and 2.12 ± 1.96 months in BVZ group; P = 0.41) were not significantly different., Conclusion: The visual and anatomical outcomes in terms of PED reduction in treatment-naive PCV patients were better in IVZ group compared with BVZ. IVZ monotherapy is a viable, cost-effective alternative in these patients with good safety profile., Competing Interests: None

Purpose: To record the coexistence of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) with other rare fundus diseases in a Chinese population., Method: In this retrospective hospital-based study, a chart review of 861 patients with newly diagnosed PCV was performed. The clinical features of rare fundus comorbidities of PCV were recorded., Results: Five eyes of 5 patients aged 63.4 ± 11.22 years (0.58%) had PCV coexisting with other fundus diseases in the same eye. Of the 5 PCV patients, 2 (0.23%) had myelinated nerve fiber, 2 (0.23%) had branch retinal vein occlusion, and 1 (0.12%) had retinal angiomatous proliferation., Conclusion: We reported rare fundus comorbidities of PCV in a large Chinese cohort. These comorbidities included myelinated nerve fiber, branch retinal vein occlusion and retinal angiomatous proliferation. The combination might constitute an accidental occurrence.

Purpose: To evaluate age-related differences in the prevalence of subtypes of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the first diagnosed eye., Methods: This retrospective, observational study included 1099 eyes of 1099 patients diagnosed with neovascular AMD. The neovascular AMD cases were classified into three subtypes: typical neovascular AMD, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), and type 3 neovascularization. The patients were divided into four groups, according to age: > 50 and < 60 years, ≥ 60 and < 70 years, ≥ 70 and < 80 years, and ≥ 80 years. Difference in the prevalence of three AMD subtypes was evaluated among the four age groups., Results: In the age group > 50 and < 60 years, 34 (25.0%) and 102 patients (75.0%) were diagnosed with typical neovascular AMD and PCV, respectively. In the age group ≥ 60 and < 70 years, 90 (28.1%), 206 (64.4%), and 24 patients (7.5%) were diagnosed with typical neovascular AMD, PCV, and type 3 neovascularization, respectively. In the age group ≥ 70 and < 80 years, the corresponding numbers were 200 (41.9%), 197 (41.3%), and 80 (16.8%), respectively; in the age group ≥80 years, the corresponding values were 83 (50.0%), 39 (23.5%), and 44 (26.5%), respectively. A significant difference was observed in the prevalence of the subtypes of neovascular AMD among the four age groups (chi-square test, P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Subtype prevalence in newly diagnosed neovascular AMD differs significantly according to age. This result suggests that different pathophysiology may be involved in the development of different subtypes of neovascular AMD.

Purpose: Ageing is the strongest predictor of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), where neuroinflammation is known to play a major role. Less is known about polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), which is an important differential diagnosis to neovascular AMD. Here, we report plasma markers of inflammation with age (inflammaging) in patients with PCV, patients with neovascular AMD and a healthy age-matched control group., Methods: We isolated plasma from fresh venous blood obtained from participants (n = 90) with either PCV, neovascular AMD, or healthy maculae. Interleukin(IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and tumour necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNF-R2) were measured using U-PLEX Human Assays. Routine plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured using Dimension Vista 1500., Results: Patients with PCV had plasma levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-R2 similar to that in healthy controls. Patients with neovascular AMD had significantly higher plasma IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 than healthy controls, whereas no significant differences were observed for plasma IL-8 and TNF-R2. Differences between plasma IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 possessed a positive but weak ability in discriminating neovascular AMD from PCV. Both patients with PCV and patients with neovascular AMD had significantly higher levels of routine plasma CRP., Conclusion: Patients with PCV differ from patients with neovascular AMD in terms of plasma inflammaging profile. Apart from increased CRP, no signs of inflammaging were observed in patients with PCV. In patients with neovascular AMD, we find a specific angiogenesis-twisted inflammaging profile., (© 2018 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: To investigate the angiographic, tomographic, and clinical characteristics of idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) in elderly patients., Methods: The patients were divided into two groups according to a cutoff age of 60 years at baseline. Patients underwent spectral domain optical coherence tomography, fluorescein angiography, and indocyanine green angiography. Angiographic and tomographic features were compared between the two groups (young vs. elderly group)., Results: Of 176 patients, 26 patients (15.1%) were 60 years or older. Complete resolution of subretinal fluid after treatment was noted in 72.0% of the elderly group and 90.8% of the young group (P = 0.021). The elderly group showed worse baseline and final vision, more bilateral involvement, and lower male preponderance than the young group (P < 0.05, respectively). The elderly group was also associated with a higher frequency of retinal pigment epithelium depigmentation, foveal thinning, and double-layer sign compared with the young group (P < 0.05, respectively)., Conclusion: CSC in elderly patients was associated with a lower resolution of serous detachment, increased impairment of retinal pigment epithelial layers, foveal thinning, and worse visual outcome, suggesting a chronic insult to the choroidal vessels involving more severe damage to the outer retinal layers.

Purpose: This study was prospectively carried out to clarify the effectiveness of visual and anatomical outcomes under combination therapy of intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) and verteporfin photodynamic therapy (vPDT) in over 24 months., Study Design: A single-arm prospective exploratory study., Methods: Twenty-six eyes of 26 treatment naïve PCV patients were enrolled in this study. The primary outcome measures were the changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the complete polyp regression rate. The secondary outcome measures included central retinal thickness assessed by optical coherence tomography., Results: The patients showed significant improvement in BCVA by 0.14 logMAR units at 12 months and 0.11 logMAR units at 24 months from baseline (both p < 0.01). The mean central retinal thickness also significantly decreased at 12 months (p < 0.001) and at 24 months (p = 0.001). Complete regression of polypoidal lesions was achieved by 15 out of 20 eyes (75%) at 12 months and 11 out of 20 eyes (55%) at 24 months. The mean treatment number was 2.9 courses of IVA and 1.5 courses of vPDT and the mean retreatment free interval after initial therapy was 12.8 months during follow up of 24 months. The complete data from all predetermined examinations were observed in 17 out of 26 enrolled patients (65%) in this study., Conclusion: In this study, combination therapy of IVA and vPDT yielded visual and anatomical improvements in treatment-naïve PCV patients over a 24-month follow-up period.

Background: Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) consists of polyps that potentially cause massive subretinal hemorrhage and their branching vascular network (BVN) of feeder vessels. Although conventional indocyanine green angiography (IA) has shown anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents and/or photodynamic therapy (PDT) to successfully induce polyp closure, the BVN appears resistant to these therapies and serves as the origin of recurrent active polyps. Recently introduced optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) enables more frequent angiographic evaluation of polyps and the BVN than does conventional IA since it does not require intravenous fluorescent dye injection and is thus considered non-invasive., Case Presentation: Case 1. A 70-year-old male with PCV in his left eye suffered from vision deterioration (20/40) due to persistent subretinal fluid despite 42 intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (IVRs) over 5 years and 7 months. PDT was performed as an adjunct therapy 3 days after the 43rd IVR. IA at 3 months after PDT showed successful polyp closure but persisting BVN. However, more frequent evaluation with OCT-A starting at 1 week after PDT demonstrated complete regression of both the BVN and polyp. OCT-A at every subsequent outpatient visit depicted gradual re-perfusion of the BVN and the restoration of most of its original network at 3 months, which was compatible with IA findings. Neither OCTA nor IA revealed polyp recurrence at 3 months. Case 2. A 65-year-old female suffering from left vision deterioration due to PCV underwent 5 intravitreal injections of aflibercept. Since her subretinal fluid persisted, the treatment was switched to a combination of IVR and PDT. OCT-A revealed marked regression of the BVN and polyp at 2 weeks, but the BVN had regained its original shape at 2 months without any sign of polyp recurrence., Conclusions: Differently from previous observations obtained by IA alone, more frequent non-invasive OCT-A examination revealed complete but transient regression of the BVN just after combination therapy with IVR and PDT.

Purpose: Pneumatic displacement of submacular hemorrhages (SMHs) with intravitreal injection of sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) gas with or without tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and prone posturing is an effective minimally invasive treatment. We observed some cases in which simultaneous flattening of hemorrhagic pigment epithelial detachments (PEDs) occurred after prone posturing. This study evaluated the impact of pneumatic displacement using tPA to treat PEDs and visual outcomes in eyes with SMHs secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD)., Methods: This retrospective analysis reviewed the medical records of 32 patients (33 eyes) who underwent pneumatic displacement for AMD-associated SMHs. The SMHs were related to polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in 24 eyes and typical AMD in nine eyes and treated with intravitreal injection of SF 6 gas with tPA. We assessed the postoperative best-corrected visual acuities (BCVAs), prevalence and flattening rates of the PEDs, and the number of additional treatments., Results: The mean follow-up period was 35.4 ± 19.8 months. The BCVAs improved significantly in eyes with PCV compared with eyes with typical AMD. Thirty-one (93.9%) of 33 eyes had an accompanying PED. The PEDs flattened in 14 (58.3%) of 24 eyes with PCV but in only one (14.3%) of seven eyes with typical AMD (p = 0.04). A mean of one additional treatment was administered during the first year in 15 eyes with flattened PEDs, which was significantly (p < 0.05) fewer than the 3.6 additional treatments in 16 eyes with persistent PEDs., Conclusions: PEDs often accompany SMHs secondary to neovascular AMD. Pneumatic displacement of the SMHs using tPA unexpectedly flattened the PEDs, especially in eyes with PCV, and was associated with fewer additional treatments.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate changes in visual acuity before and after the development of submacular hemorrhage secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to compare the visual outcomes between patients with and without hemorrhage., Methods: This retrospective observational study included 124 patients with neovascular AMD. Patients who developed a submacular hemorrhage involving the fovea were included in the hemorrhage group (n = 55). Patients with no sign of submacular hemorrhage during the follow-up period were included in the no-hemorrhage group (n = 69). Visual outcomes were compared between the two groups., Results: The logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before the development of submacular hemorrhage, once the hemorrhage had developed, and 6 months after the development of hemorrhage was 0.59 ± 0.45, 1.24 ± 0.57, and 0.99 ± 0.64, respectively. BCVA was significantly worse 6 months after the hemorrhage compared to before the hemorrhage ( p < 0.001). The BCVA before the development of hemorrhage (measured at a mean of 12.9 months after diagnosis) was comparable to that of the no-hemorrhage group (mean, 0.58 ± 0.37 at a mean of 12.4 months). However, the BCVA 6 months after identification of hemorrhage (mean, 21.5 months) was significantly worse in the hemorrhage group than in the no-hemorrhage group (mean, 0.73 ± 0.44 at mean 21.2 months) ( p = 0.018)., Conclusions: Visual acuity was significantly worse after hemorrhage than before hemorrhage, even after treatment. In addition, patients with submacular hemorrhage had markedly worse visual outcomes than patients without hemorrhage. This result suggests that the development of hemorrhage during the treatment course of neovascular AMD has a devastating effect on visual prognosis., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (© 2018 The Korean Ophthalmological Society.)

Background: The optimal treatment for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is still under debate. Little knowledge is known about the treatment effect of "1+pro re nata(PRN)" treatment regimen for PCV. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of photodynamic therapy (PDT), intravitreal ranibizumab injection (IVR) and combination therapy under the "1 + PRN" treatment regimen for PCV., Methods: Fifty-seven eyes of 57 patients completed the 12 months' follow-up in this prospective study. The patients in the PDT arm(n = 23), ranibizumab arm(n = 18), or combination arm(n = 16) underwent a session of PDT, IVR or combination of both at baseline followed by additional IVR as needed. Mean change of logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity (VA), central foveal thickness (CFT) and the regression rate of polyps were evaluated. Cost-benefit analysis was also performed., Results: At Month 12, the mean logMAR VA improved from 0.90 ± 0.52 to 0.75 ± 0.57 in the PDT group (P < 0.05), from 0.96 ± 0.58 to 0.77 ± 0.41 in the IVR group (P < 0.05), and from 0.94 ± 0.55 to 0.72 ± 0.44 in the combination group (P < 0.05), respectively. The CFT decreased from 478.04 ± 156.70 μm, 527.5 ± 195.90 μm, and 522.63 ± 288.40 μm at the baseline to 366.43 ± 148.28 μm, 373.17 ± 134.88 μm and 328.44 ± 103.25 in the PDT group (P < 0.05), IVR group (P < 0.01), and the combination group (P < 0.05), respectively. However, no statistical difference was found between groups (P > 0.05). PDT treatment (60.87%) was superior to the IVR therapy (22.22%) in achieving complete regression of polyps (P < 0.05). Cost-benefit analysis showed that IVR treatment cost the least money for improving per 0.1logMAR units and the combination therapy demanded the least money for reducing per 100 μm of CFT., Conclusions: PDT, IVR and the combination therapy have similar efficacy in the VA improvement as well as the reduction of CFT under the "1 + PRN" treatment regimen., Trial Registration: Current Controlled Trials NCT03459144 . Registered retrospectively on March 2, 2018.

Purpose: To compare the 1-year outcomes of treat-and-extend (TAE) and every-other-month (2M) regimens with intravitreal aflibercept in Japanese wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients., Methods: Prospective, multicenter, randomized clinical trial. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of eyes in which the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was maintained at week 52 [with a loss of <0.3 logarithm of minimum angular of resolution (logMAR) units]. The secondary outcome measures were the mean change from baseline in the central retinal thickness (CRT) and the number of injections., Results: Forty-one patients were enrolled. The mean changes in the BCVA from baseline in the TAE and 2M were -0.32 ± 0.27 and -0.26 ± 0.30 logMAR units (p = 0.46). The TAE group was noninferior to the 2M group in BCVA maintenance. The mean CRT changes from baseline in the TAE and 2M were -161 ± 133 and -157 ± 90 μm (p = 0.73). The mean number of injections in the TAE and 2M were 7.5 ± 1.2 (range, 7-12) and 8.0 ± 0.0 (p < 0.0001)., Conclusion: Treat-and-extend (TAE) regimen with aflibercept improved the BCVA and CRT to the same extent as 2M regimen, with a reduced number of injections., (© 2017 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: In this study (AMD2000), we aimed to determine the visual prognosis of Japanese patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD)., Methods: This was a multicenter prospective observational cohort study. In total, 460 patients with AMD were recruited from April 2006 to March 2009 from 18 clinical trial sites in Japan. They were followed up for 5 years, as they continued to receive medical treatment., Results: Of the 409 study eyes followed up for at least 1 year, 243 eyes (59.4%) were treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) using verteporfin, and 58 eyes (14.2%) were treated with intravitreal injections of antivascular endothelial growth factor agents as the initial treatment. The mean best-corrected visual acuities (BCVA) for typical AMD (tAMD; 0.688 ± 0.498) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV; 0.451 ± 0.395) were significantly less at 2 years (tAMD, 0.779 ± 0.632, P < 0.05; PCV, 0.534 ± 0.618, P < 0.05) and at 5 years (AMD, 0.873 ± 0.718, P < 0.05; PCV, 0.635 ± 0.668, P < 0.05) than at baseline. In eyes with tAMD, absence of blocked fluorescence was associated with 5-year maintenance of the baseline BCVA. Regarding PCV, the presence of polypoidal lesions and cystoid macular edema as well as the lesion size was associated with 5-year maintenance of the baseline BCVA. In some patients, the diagnosis changed: of the 192 eyes initially diagnosed with typical AMD, 19 were newly diagnosed with PCV during follow-up., Conclusion: Maintaining the baseline BCVA over the long term is difficult in Japanese eyes with wet AMD.

Purpose: To report research participants' baseline characteristics in the AMD2000 study, a prospective, multicenter, 5-year, observational cohort study of Japanese age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The characteristics were determined using multimodal imaging., Methods: Patients with AMD were recruited at 18 clinical sites in Japan between April 2006 and March 2009. Each patient underwent a complete ophthalmic examination, including measurement of best-corrected visual acuity (Landolt chart), indirect ophthalmoscopy, slit-lamp biomicroscopy with a contact lens, optical coherence tomography imaging, fundus photography, and fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography., Results: Four hundred sixty participants (326 men [70.9%]) were included in the study. At enrollment, 131 eyes (28.5%) had hard drusen and 125 eyes (27.2%) had soft drusen in the macular area. A total of 455 eyes (98.9%) were diagnosed as having wet AMD, and 5 eyes (1.1%), as having dry AMD. Of the 455 eyes with wet AMD, 209 eyes (45.4%) had typical AMD, 228 eyes (49.6%) had polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), and 18 eyes (3.9%) had retinal angiomatous proliferation. The size of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) was significantly smaller with indocyanine green angiography than with fluorescein angiography (P < 0.001). Poor baseline visual acuity was associated with cystoid macular edema, older age, scar, extrafoveal macular edema, subfoveal CNV, large branching vascular network, and hard exudates., Conclusion: Japanese patients with AMD are predominantly male, lack drusen, and have a high rate of PCV.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical implications of required retreatment after 3-monthly intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) injections followed by as-needed reinjections up to 5 years in eyes with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD)., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted for 165 treatment-naïve eyes from 165 patients with exudative AMD. Visual changes were investigated in terms of the required retreatments., Results: Retreatment-free proportions were 37.0, 23.7, 16.6, 12.1, and 10.5% at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months, respectively. Visual changes were significantly better in eyes which did not require retreatment at every yearly checkpoint within the 5 years. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that requirement of additional IVR treatments in the first 12-24 months was associated with the T allele (risk allele) of ARMS2 A69S (p = 0.010 and 0.015, respectively). Cox regression analysis revealed that older age (p = 0.046) and the T allele of ARMS2 A69S (p = 0.036) were associated with required retreatment within the 5-year follow-up period., Conclusions: Age and the T allele of ARMS2 A69S are the risk factors requiring retreatments, leading to poor visual change in eyes with exudative AMD following the initial 3-monthly IVR., (© 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Introduction: Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a choroidal pathology characterized by frequent occurrences of subretinal hemorrhages and resistance to monotherapies such as ranibizumab or bevacizumab intravitreal injections (IVT). The purpose of this study is to evaluate both the anatomical and functional efficacy of aflibercept IVT as a monotherapy in PCV in a Caucasian population., Methods: We conducted a prospective multicenter study in either treatment-naïve patients with PCV or PVC patients who had not been treated with anti-VEGF within the previous 3 months or with photodynamic therapy (PDT) within the previous 6 months. All patients had been treated with 3 initial monthly loading doses of aflibercept followed by a Q8 regimen for 28 weeks in total. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination including the measurement of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before each IVT and after 28 weeks as well as an optical coherent tomography (OCT) of the macula. At baseline and 28 weeks, the polypoidal dilations were analyzed with indocyanine green angiography., Results: Thirty-four eyes of 34 patients were included in this study. All patients were followed for 28 weeks and received 5 aflibercept IVT. The mean baseline BCVA was 55 letters. After 28 weeks, significant +13 letters in BCVA and a regression of exudative signs on OCT in all patients were observed. In 62% of the cases, polyp disappearance was observed on indocyanine green angiography., Discussion: In this study on a Caucasian population, we showed that aflibercept as a monotherapy provided both a significant visual gain and the regression of polypoidal dilations. Aflibercept use in monotherapy may contribute to reduce the hemorrhagic risk and atrophy linked to PDT., (© 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of aflibercept therapy using a treat-and-extend regimen on treatment-naïve polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV)., Methods: In a retrospective interventional case series of 58 eyes of 58 patients with PCV, we assessed best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), central choroidal thickness (CCT), and number of injections for 2 years. Polypoidal lesions were also evaluated before treatment and after the loading phase by indocyanine green angiography., Results: BCVA significantly improved after the loading phase and was maintained in the maintenance phase. CMT and CCT significantly reduced after the loading phase and were maintained throughout the follow-up period. The number of injections averaged 7.72 in the first year and 4.67 in the second year. The average number of polypoidal lesions per patient was 2.43 before treatment. In 32 patients (55.2%), polypoidal lesions regressed completely after the loading phase; these patients also needed significantly fewer injections compared to other patients. CCT at baseline was positively correlated with the decreased amount of CCT after 2 years and negatively correlated with the number of injections for 2 years., Conclusions: Treat-and-extend intravitreal therapy with aflibercept may be effective for improving BCVA and exudative change in eyes with PCV. The regression of polypoidal lesions after the loading phase and thicker choroid at baseline might lead to fewer total number of intravitreal injections of aflibercept.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of triple therapy of photodynamic therapy combined with injections of intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) and subtenon triamcinolone acetonide for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) resistant to IVA., Methods: A retrospective chart review at a single institution was conducted to identify patients with PCV resistant to treatment with IVA who were switched to treatment with triple therapy. In total, 13 eyes from 13 patients were included in the study. Demographic data, visual acuities, central retinal thickness (CRT) and height of pigment epithelial detachment (PED) on optical coherence tomography (OCT), complications, and number of injections were reviewed., Results: The patients had a mean age of 68 years (range 53-83). The number of prior injections with IVA ranged from 5 to 10. At 12 months follow-up after triple therapy, there was a significant improvement in visual acuity (P = 0.0039), a significant decrease in CRT (P = 0.003), and a significant reduction of the height of PED (P = 0.015). Only one patient had retinal pigment epithelium tear., Conclusions: Triple therapy improved visual and anatomical outcomes in patients with PCV with recurrent or resistant retinal fluid and PED after multiple injections with IVA.

Purpose: To investigate fixed-dosing aflibercept for treating polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV)., Methods: This phase IV, prospective, single-arm, interventional case series was conducted in eight centers. Forty treatment-naïve PCV patients were administered three monthly doses of intravitreal aflibercept (2.0 mg) and an injection every 2 months thereafter. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central subfield macular thickness (CSMT) were measured at each visit. Fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were performed at baseline, 3 and 12 months. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients who maintained BCVA (<15 letters loss) at 12 months. Changes in BCVA, macular appearance, and polypoidal lesion appearance were also examined., Results: Thirty-five eyes (87.5 %) had maintained BCVA at 12 months. Average BCVA was significantly higher at 12 months (20/53, 64.2 letters) than at baseline (20/80, 55.1 letters, 9-letter gain; P < .001). Mean CSMT was significantly lower at 12 months (253.6 μm) than at baseline (365.2 μm, P < .001). The macula was dry in 32 (76.2 %), 27 (64.3 %), and 24 eyes (60.0 %) at 3, 6, and 12 months respectively. Fourteen eyes (33.3 %) had a fluid recurrence or increase at 6 months, and they had a significantly lower vision gain (P = .005) than other patients at 12 months. Complete polyp regression occurred in 26 eyes (66.7 %) at 12 months., Conclusions: Fixed-dosing aflibercept showed favorable outcomes in PCV patients at 12 months. However, some patients had worse outcomes because of fluid recurrence during maintenance dosing, and these patients would require additional treatments.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the 1-year visual and anatomical outcomes of combination therapy with intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) and verteporfin photodynamic therapy (vPDT) for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), and to determine the predictors of a good visual outcome., Methods: This was a prospective case-series study. Twenty eyes from 20 treatment-naïve PCV patients were treated with combination therapy with IVA and vPDT. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and morphological parameters including polypoidal lesions in indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were evaluated over 12 months of follow-up., Results: The mean logMAR BCVA was significantly improved from 0.30 at baseline to 0.20 at 3 months and 0.18 at 12 months. The mean central retinal thickness was also significantly improved at 3 months and at 12 months. In ICGA, complete regression of polypoidal lesions was found in 14 out of 20 eyes (70 %) at 3 months and in 14 out of 18 eyes (78 %) at 12 months although no ICGA were done on two eyes. In the multivariate logistic regression analyses, the baseline greatest linear dimension was found as a significant predictive factor for good visual improvement (≧0.3 LogMAR units improvement from baseline) at 12 months., Conclusion: In this study, combination therapy with IVA and vPDT gave visual and anatomical improvements to treatment-naïve PCV patients over 12 months of follow-up period.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of two different initial treatment modalities on visual outcome, need for retreatment, and angiographic improvement during 12-month follow-up for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV)., Methods: A retrospective medical chart review was performed for 66 eyes from 66 patients with treatment-naïve PCV. Visual and angiographic improvements and the incidence of retreatment for recurrence or residual pathology were compared between two groups that underwent either intravitreal aflibercept injection (IAI) monotherapy (n = 33) or combined photodynamic therapy (PDT) with IAI (n = 33)., Results: Best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly (P < 0.001) in both groups at each of the 3-monthly visits during the 12-month follow-up period, with no difference between groups at 12 months (P = 0.56). The relative risk of the need for retreatment was significantly lower in the combined PDT and IAI group than in the IAI monotherapy group (P = 0.007). Angiographic regression of polypoidal vascular lesions occurred more frequently in the combined PDT group than in the IAI monotherapy group at 3 (87.5 % vs 56.7 %) and 12 months (68.8 % vs 60.0 %) (p = 0.0065 and p = 0.47 respectively)., Conclusions: The combination of PDT with IAI as the initial treatment for PCV may be superior to IAI monotherapy in terms of disease-stabilizing efficacy, but with equivalent visual gain at 12 months.

Purpose: To evaluate 1-year outcomes of intravitreal injections of aflibercept (IVA) in Japanese polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) patients., Methods: In this prospective, open-label, single-arm multicenter clinical trial, treatment-naïve PCV patients received IVA (2.0 mg) every 2 months, after 3 initial monthly doses. The primary endpoint assessed was the proportion of patients maintaining baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 1 year., Results: Fifty eyes with PCV were included in the study. BCVA was maintained or improved in 97.6% of the patients. Mean logMAR BCVA at baseline was 0.33, and had improved to 0.12 logMAR 1 year after the initiation of aflibercept treatment (p < 0.001). Mean central foveal thickness decreased from 356 to 239 μm (p < 0.001). Complete regression of polypoidal lesions was seen in 72.5% after 1 year of treatment., Conclusions: One year of IVA resulted in stabilization of BCVA and anatomical improvement in Japanese PCV patients., (© 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of using low-dose intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) to preserve vision in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) eyes., Methods: This retrospective chart review study examined 8 eyes of 7 PCV patients, for whom verteporfin photodynamic therapy (vPDT) or antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy was not affordable/available and also with intolerable risk because of underlying cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular ischemia. Low-dose IVTA (1 mg/0.025 mL) monotherapy was administered and repeated every 4 weeks if intraretinal edema or subretinal fluid persisted., Results: The median follow-up time was 26.4 months. Three eyes (3/8) maintained their initial best-corrected visual acuity and 4 eyes (4/8) exhibited improvement, whereas 1 eye (1/8) sustained some loss. The mean injection number per month was 0.7 for the first 6 months, after which it decreased to 0.4. In regard to adverse effects, intraocular pressure (IOP) of more than 21 mmHg was noted as persisting for a few weeks in 4 eyes and that of more than 30 mmHg was noted once in 1 eye. The increased IOP was adequately controlled by using IOP-lowering agents. Two initially phakic eyes each underwent cataract surgery in the 12th and 14th months after treatment., Conclusions: Low-dose IVTA therapy may be valuable for preserving the vision of PCV patients, while vPDT or anti-VEGF is not affordable/available or of those with underlying diseases for whom anti-VEGF therapy is with intolerable risk.

Purpose: To compare 3-year visual outcomes after intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) monotherapy and combination therapy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with IVR for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV)., Methods: Medical records for 45 eyes in 45 patients (34 men, 11 women; mean age, 73.8 years old; range, 62-86 years old) with treatment-naïve PCV were reviewed retrospectively. Of the 45 eyes, 20 were treated with IVR monotherapy and 25 with combination therapy. Mean change in best-corrected visual acuity, numbers of injections of IVR and length of treatment-free period from baseline at month 36 were observed. Adverse events were monitored., Results: The change in visual acuity after combination therapy was significantly better than that after IVR monotherapy (p = 0.0399). At 36 months, improvement in visual acuity was seen in five eyes (25.0%) in the IVR monotherapy group and 13 eyes (52.0%) in the combination therapy group. The treatment-free period was significantly longer in the combination therapy group (p = 0.0008). Additional IVR therapy was required significantly more frequently in the IVR monotherapy group (p = 0.0026). Post-treatment subretinal haemorrhage or retinal pigment epithelium tear occurred only in the IVR monotherapy group, in one eye (5.0%) and one eye (5.0%), respectively., Conclusion: Initial therapy consisting of a single session of PDT combined with IVR improves vision in treatment-naïve PCV. Compared with IVR monotherapy, this combination therapy may be more effective for PCV., (© 2016 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Submacular hemorrhage associated with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) may cause severe visual loss. The purpose of this study is to report the visual prognosis of massive submacular hemorrhage in patients with PCV., Methods: Twenty patients with PCV and submacular hemorrhage who received either subretinal tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) with vitrectomy or intravitreal injection of TPA and gas to achieve pneumatic displacement of the hemorrhage were enrolled. Additionally, combination treatment with either photodynamic therapy (PDT) or intravitreal injection of vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors (anti-VEGF) was performed to treat the underlying PCV., Results: Five patients received subretinal TPA with vitrectomy and 15 patients received intravitreal injection of TPA and gas to remove or displace the submacular hemorrhage. Combination treatment with PDT and intravitreal anti-VEGF was performed in three patients and intravitreal anti-VEGF injection alone in 13 patients. The mean logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution converted from the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were improved at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Better initial BCVA, smaller size of submacular hemorrhage and younger age were statistically significant predictors for BCVA. Combination treatment with PDT showed significant efficacy in the improvement of BCVA., Conclusion: Combination treatment of submacular hemorrhage secondary to PCV may yield visual and anatomic improvements. Initial BCVA, the initial size of submacular hemorrhage and age were significant predictors for visual prognosis., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.)

Purpose: To report the results of switching treatment to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) Trap-Eye (aflibercept) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) refractory to anti-VEGF (ranibizumab and bevacizumab)., Methods: This is a retrospective study involving 32 eyes from 29 patients; 18 were cases of neovascular AMD and 14 were cases of PCV. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography were evaluated., Results: BCVA and CMT improved from 0.58 to 0.55 (p = 0.005) and from 404 to 321 µm (p < 0.001), respectively, after switching to aflibercept. The 14 eyes that received 6 or more aflibercept injections remained stable at 0.81 to 0.81 and 321 to 327 µm (p = 1.0, 0.29), respectively, after 3 aflibercept injections. The 10 eyes that received 3 or more bevacizumab injections after 3 or more aflibercept injections worsened, from 0.44 to 0.47 and from 332 to 346 µm (p = 0.06, 0.05), respectively. The results showed similar improvement of BCVA and CMT in neovascular AMD and PCV., Conclusions: Aflibercept seems to be effective for improvement and maintenance of BCVA and CMT for neovascular AMD and PCV refractory to anti-VEGF. Switching from aflibercept back to bevacizumab treatment may not be a proper strategy.

Background/Objectives: Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy is the first-line treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nvAMD). While proactive and adequate treatment generally leads to better visual outcomes, various factors, including the disease type, ocular findings, lifestyle, and systemic status, affect the visual prognosis in clinical settings. This study aimed to identify the factors that affect the visual prognosis in patients with nvAMD treated with anti-VEGF therapy. Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study at eight tertiary referral centers in Japan, where we reviewed the medical records of patients newly diagnosed with nvAMD between January 2014 and December 2019. These patients had started treatment with either ranibizumab (0.5 mg) or aflibercept (2.0 mg) and were followed for at least 1 year. We evaluated the impact of the disease type, systemic factors, and initial fundus findings on the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 1 year. Results: This study included 182 patients (129 men, 53 women), with a mean age of 75.0 ± 8.6 years. The disease types were categorized as typical AMD (53%), polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) (43%), and retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) (4%). Univariate analysis identified age, the baseline logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution BCVA, intraretinal fluid (IRF), pigment epithelial detachment (PED), and subretinal hyperreflective material (SHRM). Multivariate analysis identified the following significant risk factors associated with vision worsening: age, smoking history, diabetes, and the presence of IRF and PED. Conclusions: The presence of IRF, PED, and SHRM at the start of treatment and a history of smoking and diabetes may be associated with a poor visual prognosis in patients with nvAMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate demographic, anatomical, angiographic, and functional parameters in patients suffering from polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Methods: Sixty eyes of 60 patients with a definite diagnosis of treatment-naïve exudative unilateral PCV were evaluated in this retrospective study. Fellow eyes and age-matched healthy subjects were enrolled as comparison. All subjects underwent complete ophthalmic evaluation with multimodal imaging assessment, including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography. Main outcome measures in the comparison analysis were central macular thickness (CMT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), and choroidal vascularity index (CVI), whereas outcome measures for correlation analyses were best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraretinal fluid and subretinal fluid (SRF) presence, SRF thickness, vascularized pigmented epithelial detachment height, and PCV outer retina to choriocapillaris flow area. Results: CVI was significantly higher in affected and fellow eyes if compared with the healthy ones (p = 0.049; p = 0.003). Subfoveal choroid resulted to be thicker in the diseased eyes when compared with healthy ones (p = 0.002). A negative correlation was assessed between age and SFCT, CMT, and BCVA. In addition, a significant association between male gender and anatomical and functional parameters has been found with male prevalence at baseline in cases. No association between systemic conditions and PCV features was found. Conclusions: Patients with unilateral PCV show choroidal changes in terms of higher values of CVI, also in fellow eyes, that were negatively related with age. In our cohort of patients, males showed the poorest diagnosis with a baseline lower BCVA and higher CMT when compared with females. PCV was not associated with any systemic condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the influence of submacular hemorrhage (SMH) at baseline on long-term visual outcomes of patients with typical age-related macular degeneration (tAMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) treated with intravitreal aflibercept (IVA). Methods: In this retrospective study, eyes of treatment-naïve patients with tAMD and PCV who initiated IVA under a treat-and-extend regimen and were followed up for ≥ 5 years were classified into the tAMD-SMH (+), tAMD-SMH (-), PCV-SMH (+), and PCV-SMH (-) groups based on the presence of SMH at baseline. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) changes and macular fibrosis and atrophy incidences were assessed. Results: This study included 127 eyes (127 patients), including 51 with tAMD and 76 with PCV; 18 eyes had SMH at baseline. In the tAMD-SMH (+) group (n = 6), the mean logMAR BCVA significantly deteriorated from 0.59 ± 0.45 at baseline to 0.88 ± 0.47 at the final visit (P = 0.024). No significant BCVA changes were observed in the tAMD-SMH (-) (n = 45), PCV-SMH (+) (n = 12), or PCV-SMH (-) (n = 64) groups (all P > 0.05). The tAMD-SMH (+) group showed a significantly higher incidence of macular fibrosis at the final visit than did the tAMD-SMH (-) group (P = 0.042). There was no influence of baseline SMH on the macular fibrosis incidence in eyes with PCV and the macular atrophy incidence in eyes with tAMD and PCV. Conclusion: The presence of SMH at baseline resulted in poorer long-term visual acuity in eyes with tAMD, even with aflibercept treatment. However, no such influence was observed in eyes with PCV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMethodsResultsConclusionsTo identify risk factors and effect modifiers associated with intraocular inflammation (IOI) following brolucizumab injection.Our protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022382645). We searched six electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CENTRAL, EMBASE, and Google Scholar) to retrieve all studies that reported the occurrence of IOI following brolucizumab. Data are reported as mean difference with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. All analyses were conducted per eye, and the risk of bias was assessed using the National Health Institute tool.Our analysis included 3527 eyes of 3469 patients of 33 papers. The mean age of the patients was 74 years (SD = 10.9, Range = 62.3–80.9). There were 1793 male patients (51.7%) and 1719 female patients (49.6%). The average follow-up period was 13.9 months (SD = 9.4). The mean number of injections was 4.5 (SD = 2.9) injections per eye; 1315 (37.3%) eyes had neovascular AMD, 189 (5.4%) had diabetic macular edema, and 129 (3.7%) eyes had polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy. Post-intervention, subretinal fluid, intraretinal fluid, and pigment epithelial detachment were significantly improved (46.5–11.3% of patients, 55.7–11.3% of patients, 24.7–7.1% of patients, respectively) (p < 0.001). Regarding visual acuity, there was an improvement with a mean difference of 0.12 (95% CI = 0.18–0.07, z = 4.38, p < 0.0001, 2064 eyes). The most common reported complication is IOI (n = 196, 6%). IOI was observed more in the elderly (76.3 ± 9.2 years), females (66%), and after the second injection.This systematic review provides valuable insights into risk factors and effect modifiers for IOI associated with brolucizumab treatment, aiding clinicians in optimizing patient care. Future studies should prioritize prospective, long-term investigations to further elucidate the safety profile of brolucizumab and refine its use in the management of retinal and choroidal vascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of bi-monthly brolucimumab treatment in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) refractory to monthly aflibercept treatment. Methods: A retrospective chart review included 32 eyes of patients with refractory nAMD who switched from monthly intravitreal aflibercept treatment to bi-monthly intravitreal brolucizumab treatment. This study evaluated changes in visual acuity (VA), intraretinal fluid (IRF), subretinal fluid (SRF), pigment epithelial detachment (PED), and central macular thickness (CMT), at specific times as follows: baseline before switching (T0), 2 months after switching (T1), 4 months after switching (T2), and 6 months after switching (T3). Results: The mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) did not significantly change across all time points (0.52 ± 0.12, 0.48 ± 0.27, 0.48 ± 0.28, and 0.50 ± 0.27 logarithms of the minimum angle of resolution in T0, T1, T2, and T3, respectively). CMT significantly decreased after additional brolucizumab injections compared to the baseline (218.2 ± 48.6 and 207.9 ± 49.8 μm, respectively; p = 0.001). The PED height also significantly decreased from 251.0 ± 165.4 to 154.4 ± 115.65 μm (p < 0.001), with complete resolution in nine patients (28%). The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) before brolucizumab treatment was 262.8 ± 79.7 μm, which decreased to 233.0 ± 71.2 μm (p = 0.001) after the first injection. The final SFCT also significantly decreased after additional brolucizumab injections compared to the baseline SFCT (p = 0.012). Conclusions: Bi-monthly brolucizumab treatment proves effective for patients refractory to monthly fixed aflibercept, resulting in positive anatomical changes without significant deterioration in visual acuity. This approach provides a promising prognosis while reducing the treatment burden on refractory patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]