Efficacy Of Ranibizumab For The Treatment In Patientswith Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration

Objective To evaluate efficacy of ranibizumab for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration(w AMD).Methods Thirty-eight patients( 41 eyes)with w AMD, older than 60 years, were enrolled to receive intravitreal injections of ranibizumab(0.5 mg) on 3 consecutive monthly schedule and then as needed with monthly evaluation.The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), intraocular pressure(IOP), optic coherence tomography(OCT), fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA), and multifocal ERG(mf-ERG) were measured before and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment.Results Mean BCVA gained 14.98±1.65 letters at 12 months after the treatment.The mean central retinal thickness(CRT) decreased 123.98±24.09μm. In mf-ERG examination, latency periods of the first ring(central fovea of macula) and the second and third ring(away from the center of 2.58° 、 5.71°) were shortened,and the mean amplitudes increased, at 6 and 12 months after treatment,which were statistically significant(P< 0.05). The leakage areas in FFA showed weakening or vanishing with a mean decrease of 4.54 mm 2 compared with pre-treatment. Two patients had subconjunctival hemorrhage, five corneal epithelial abrasion, three intraocular pressure increased and they all recovered at one week after treatment.Conclusions Intravitreal administration of ranibizumab for the treatment in patients with w AMD is effective to alleviate macular oedema and improve visual acuity with low rates of serious adverse events.