Real-Life Data of Patients with Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to examine and provide real-life data of patients with exudative-type age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
METHODS: A total of 189 eyes of 160 patients with exudative AMD treated with intravitreal anti–vascular endothelial growth factor therapy (anti-VEGF) injections (ranibizumab 0.3 mg/0.05 mL, aflibercept 2 mg/0.05 mL, bevacizumab 1.25 mg/0.05 mL) were included in the study. Patient demographic characteristics, and details of the clinical examinations, number of injections, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measured with the Snellen chart, optical coherence tomography, and fundus fluorescein angiography images were evaluated at the first visit and during the follow-up period.
RESULTS: In the study group, 78 of the patients were female (48.8%) and 82 were male. The mean age was 72.20±8.97 years. While no treatment had been applied to 151 eyes before the first examination, 38 had previously received an intravitreal injection at another center. The mean number of patient visits was 5.83 in the first year, 4.68 in the second year, and 3.84 in the third year, and the mean number of injections was 4.70 in the first year, 2.08 in the second year, and 1.51 in the third year. The mean BCVA change between the first visit and the first, second, and third years was not statistically significant (p>0.05), and a significant change was observed in the mean central macular thickness (p<0.05).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Anatomical and functional success was achieved with anti-VEGF treatment after fewer injections and visits than have been reported in randomized, controlled, clinical studies in the literature. The number of injections and visits recorded in this study was consistent with the data of other real-life studies.