Intravitreal ranibizumab for myopic choroidal neovascularization: factors predictive of visual outcome and need for retreatment.

Purpose: To identify predictive factors for visual outcome and need for retreatment after treating myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) with ranibizumab.

Design: A prospective interventional case series.

Methods: Sixty-seven eyes of 67 patients with myopic CNV were treated with 3 intravitreal ranibizumab injections given monthly. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomography-determined central macular thickness (CMT) were recorded monthly during follow-up. Fluorescein angiography changes and the number of injections needed were also assessed.

Results: Mean follow-up was 15.9 months. Mean BCVA improved by 7.8 letters after the first injection, 12.5 letters after 3 injections, and 12 letters by end follow-up. In 53 eyes (79.1%), BCVA improved; 40.3% gained more than 15 letters. No differences were detected in visual outcome between treatment-naïve and previously treated patients. Myopic CNV area and greatest linear dimension had diminished at the study end. The mean reduction in CMT was 93.6 μm. The mean number of injections given was 4.2. A total of 53.7% of eyes received only 3 injections. Through regression analysis, baseline BCVA (P = .006) and myopic CNV location (P = .026) were significantly correlated with BCVA at the end of follow-up. Myopic CNV location (P = .023) and prior treatment (P = .047) were significantly linked to the number of injections given. No major complications arose.

Conclusion: An initial treatment regimen of 3 monthly ranibizumab injections seems effective and safe to treat myopic CNV. Baseline BCVA and myopic CNV location emerged as predictive factors for visual outcome. A need for retreatment was associated with myopic CNV location and prior treatment.