Results of intravitreal ranibizumab with a prn regimen in the treatment of extrafoveal and juxtafoveal neovascular membranes in age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab with a "pro re nata" regimen in the treatment of nonsubfoveal neovascular membranes secondary to age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: Retrospective noncomparative case series. Thirty-one eyes with naive nonsubfoveal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration were consecutively enrolled and treated with ranibizumab intravitreal injections according to a pro re nata regimen. The follow-up was performed monthly up to 6 months and quarterly up to 2 years (25 patients). Early treatment diabetic retinopathy study best-corrected visual acuity and lesion size analysis with fluorescein angiography were recorded.

Results: The mean baseline early treatment diabetic retinopathy study best-corrected visual acuity worsened from 20/40 (0.28 logMAR) at baseline to 20/50 (0.42 logMAR) at 1-year follow-up and 20/60 (0.53 logMAR) at 2-year follow-up. The mean lesions size nearly doubled from baseline at the 2-year follow up (1.19-2.47 mm). Twenty-two patients had one or more recurrences at 1-year follow-up. All 25 patients developed a recurrence at 2 years with 7 cases developing a recurrence by 12 months. Twelve cases progressed to subfoveal lesions by the 24-month visit.

Conclusion: Other regimens described in the literature might result in a more the satisfactory outcome using more frequent follow-up and more frequent intravitreal injections.