Fundus Autofluorescence Before And After Ranibizumab Therapy For Choroidal Neovascularization Secondary To Age-related Macular Degeneration

Objective:To describe fundus autofluorescence patterns in choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration before and after Ranibizumab Therapy. Methods:It was a prospective case—series study. 17 eyes of 15 patients with PCV received monthly intravitreal injections of ranibizumab for 3 months followed by an as-needed reinjection schedule,all eyes followed for 1 year was studied. Fundus examination and Best-corrected Visual Acuity(BCVA) measurement and optical coherence tomography(OCT) were performed monthly.Fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA) was performed 6,and 12 months after the first ranibizumab injection.Results:8 of 17 eyes had an improvement in BCVA and 9 remained the same for 12 months after the first injection.FAF performence and the change of the postoperative BCVA are highly correlated(C=0.5020,P<0.05). The BCVA of the first month before intial treatment and the third and sixth and twelfth month after intial treatment were significant different(F=3.859,P=0.013),the central foveal thickness(CFT) had a decrease which had significant difference(F =12.542, P<0.001). FFA showed partial closed PCV in 6 eyes and new leakage in 1 eye and complete closed PCV in 9 eye. Fundus Autofluorescence presentation:The area of the central low signal of the lesion decreased following the treatment,and part of the surrounding high fluorescence signal first strengthened and then weakened gradually. The area of abnormal fluorescence also decreased gradually aftertreatment.Theboundary of polyps in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy became clear and the very low fluorescence was enhanced after treatment,forming a hypofluorescence signal surrounded by a round high fluorescent halo.There was no significant difference in visual acuity between the time points before and after treatment based on FAF.Conlusions:changes of Fundus Autofluorescence Before and After Ranibizumab Therapy for Choroidal Neovascularization Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration show that reactive changes of RPE. Autofluorescence might be an interesting tool to describe CNV and polyps in age-related macular degeneration and to monitor changes after Ranibizumab Therapy.