Retrospective analysis of the effect of aflibercept loading dose on the retinal vessel diameters in patients with treatment-naive neovascular AMD.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effects of intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) on retinal vessel diameters in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A retrospective study conducted at the Kutahya Dumlupinar University Faculty of Medicine included 15 eyes of 15 patients with treatment naive neovascular AMD. METHODS: All eyes received IVA injections once per month for 3 months; untreated contralateral eyes were used as controls. The central retinal artery equivalent (CRAE), central retinal vein equivalent (CRVE), and artery-vein ratio (AVR) values were measured using a computer-based program before the first IVA injection and 30 days after the first, second, and third injections. The main outcome measurements were the central macular thickness (CMT), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), choroidal thickness, CRAE, CRVE, and AVR. RESULTS: Significant vasoconstriction of the retinal arterioles was observed in all eyes treated with IVA when compared to baseline (p = 0.009). However, no significant differences were found for CRVE or AVR throughout the study period in treated eyes. In the control group, all parameters measured during each visit were similar to baseline measurements (p > 0.05). The mean BCVA significantly improved at the end of the loading dose of IVA, when compared to baseline (p = 0.006). After the IVA injections, the mean CMT and choroidal thickness were significantly reduced at all visits, compared to baseline (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The current study showed that IVA led to significant retinal arteriolar vasoconstriction and choroidal thinning, which may cause reduced retinal blood flow.

Analysis of the Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Retinitis Pigmentosa Using Optic Coherence Tomography.

Aim. To evaluate the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) changes in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients using spectral domain optic coherence tomography (Sd-OCT). Methods. We retrospectively examined medical records of forty-four eyes of twenty-two RP patients. The results were also compared with those of previously reported forty-four eyes of twenty-two normal subjects (controls). Records of average and four quadrants peripapillary RNFL thickness measurements using Sd-OCT were assessed. Results. In RP patients the mean RNFL thickness was 97.57 ± 3.21 µm. The RNFL in the superior, temporal, nasal, and inferior quadrants was 119.18 ± 4.47 µm, 84.68 ± 2.31 µm, 75.09 ± 3.34 µm, and 113.88 ± 4.25 µm, respectively. While the thinning of RNFL was predominantly observed in the inferior quadrant, the thickening was mostly noted in temporal quadrant. The differences between mean, superior, and nasal quadrant RNFL thicknesses were not statistically significant when compared with control group. The RP patients had thinner inferior quadrant and thicker temporal quadrant than control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion. Sd-OCT is highly sensitive and effective instrument to detect RNFL changes in RP patients. RNFL measurements can provide information about the progression of retinitis pigmentosa and may provide prognostic indices for future treatment modalities.