Different approaches for treating myopic choroidal neovascularization:a network Meta-analysis

AIM:To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(anti-VEGF),photodynamic therapy(PDT),and laser treatment(LT)for anatomical and functional improvement in myopic choroidal neovascularization(mCNV)patients.METHODS:Two researchers independently searched PubMed,Cochrane Library,Web of Science,and other databases to screen studies comparing best-corrected vision acuity(BCVA)and foveal center thickness(FCT)changes after mCNV treatment.Post-treatment chorioretinal atrophy(CRA)is a secondary outcome indicator.The retrieval time limit is from the database construction to January 30,2023.RESULTS:A total of 1072 eyes in 16 articles were included.In the RCTs,intravitreal bevacizumab(IVB)and intravitreal ranibizumab(IVR)were superior to PDT(MD=0.18,95%CI:0.02,0.40,MD=0.18,95%CI:0.01,0.42)in improving BCVA of mCNV patients(P<0.05).The relative effectiveness in improving BCVA,from high to low,appeared to be IVR,intravitreal aflibercept(IVA),IVB,LT,PDT,and sham first followed by IVA(Sham/IVA).While improving the FCT from high to low was IVA,IVR,IVB,PDT.In retrospective studies,the results of BCVA after long-term treatment showed that all the therapeutic effects from high to low was IVA,intravitreal conbercept(IVC),IVR,IVB,IVB/IVR,PDT with IVB/IVR,PDT.The effect of improving FCT was IVA,IVR,IVC,PDT,and IVB from high to low.And in the effects of improving CRA,the IVB appeared to be higher than IVR,while the PDT was the smallest,but none of the differences in the results were statistically significant.CONCLUSION:Anti-VEGF has the best effect on longterm vision improvement in mCNV patients,using IVB or IVR alone to treat mCNV may be better than IVB or IVR combined with PDT.There is no significant difference in the improvement of visual acuity,macular edema,and CRA in mCNV patients treated with any different anti-VEGF drugs.

Macular density alterations in myopic choroidal neovascularization and the effect of anti-VEGF on it

AIM:To analyse macular microvascular alterations in myopic choroidal neovascularization(m CNV)and the efficiency of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(antiVEGF)therapy for m CNV by optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA).METHODS:A total of 123 patients were included in this retrospective study,divided into m CNV group,high myopia(HM)group,and normal group at the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from January 2017 to January 2019.Superficial vessel density,deep capillary density,foveal avascular zone(FAZ)area,A-circularity index(AI)and vessel density around the 300μm width of the FAZ region density(FD)and the area of choroidal neovascularization(CNV)lesion(only for m CNV group)were measured on 3×3 mm2 OCTA images.FAZ area was corrected for axial length.Central macular thickness(CMT)was measured on OCT in m CNV group.Compared the parameters on OCTA of 3 groups and pre-anti-VEGF and post-anti-VEGF at 1,2,3,and 6 mo follow-up in m CNV group.RESULTS:There were significant differences among 3 groups in superficial vessel density,deep capillary density and FD(P<0.05).FAZ area in HM group was smaller than normal group(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference between m CNV group and the other two group.AI increased in m CNV group(P<0.05).The mean CMT,area and flow area of CNV lesion decreased after treatment(P<0.05),while vessel density and FAZ didn’t change.The mean CMT,area and flow area of CNV lesion statistically decreased after anti-VEGF treatment in m CNV group(P<0.05),while superficial vessel density,deep capillary density and FAZ area,AI and FD didn’t change.The mean reduction ratio of lesions was 50.32%(7.07%to 100%).Lesion regression 100%was observed in 2 cases(4.88%).There was a negative correlation between the CNV lesion area and reduction ratio(r=-0.380,P=0.042)and the flow lesion area and reduction ratio(r=-0.402,P=0.030).CONCLUSION:Macular vessel density decreases,FAZ turns smaller and more irregular in m CNV eyes.AntiVEGF therapy is efficient for m CNV without affecting vessel density and FAZ,but it is unable to completely eliminate CNV lesions in most cases.The bigger m CNV lesions have lower reduction ratio.

Macular hole closure following anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection in an eye with myopic choroidal neovascularization

Dear Editor,I am Cheolmin Yun,from the Department of Ophthalmology,Korea University College of Medicine.I write to present a case report of a female patient with a myopic patient suffering from atrophic choroidal neovascularization（CNV）and a full thickness macular hole（FTMH）,who was treated with an intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） injection without vitrectomy.

Factors affecting visual outcome of myopic choroidal neovascularization treated with verteporfin photodynamic therapy

AIM: To evaluate the visual outcomes of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathological myopia and the impact of novel risk factors affecting the final visual outcome. ·METHODS: Interventional case series of 18 consecutive patients with pathological myopia treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT). Inclusion criteria were spherical equivalent -6D or worse or features of pathological myopia on retinal examination. The main outcome measure was final best -corrected visual acuity (BCVA). ·RESULTS: Of 18 eyes, 13 (72.2%) avoided moderate visual loss (≥3 lines of LogMAR BCVA) and 5 eyes (27.8%) improved by at least 1 line after 1 year. Patients with LogMAR BCVA ≤0.3 (Snellen equivalent 20/40) at one year were younger than those with BCVA 】0.3 (mean age 39.0 vs 61.6 years, P =0.001). A higher proportion of eyes with greatest linear dimension (GLD) of ≤1 000μm avoided moderate visual loss (100% vs 50%, P =0.026). Among patients who were treated within 2 weeks of visual symptoms, 88.9% avoided the loss of 3 or more lines compared to 55.6% for those who presented later. The mean improvement in LogMAR BCVA of those with GLD ≤1 000μm was +0.12 compared to a loss of 0.55 LogMAR units for those with GLD 】1 000μm (P =0.02). Visual outcomes were not associated with gender or refractive error.·CONCLUSION: Good visual outcome in myopic CNV is associated with younger age, smaller lesion size and earlier initiation of treatment. These factors are relevant for ophthalmologists considering treatment options for myopic CNV.

Retinoschisis and intravitreal ranibizumab treatment for myopic choroidal neovascularization

Background Intravitreal ranibizumab injection is effecitve on treating myopic CNVs,but it could be a risk factor for developing more severe retinoschisis in eyes with preexisted retinoschisis and epiretinal membrane.This study aimed to explore the incidence and features of retinoschisis after intravitreal ranibizumab injection for myopic choroidal neovascularization.Methods Eighty-three eyes of 81 patients with choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab injection.The best corrected visual acuity and optical coherence tomography （OCT） images were recorded at baseline and every month thereafter.Central retina thickness and maximal retina thickness were measured.The subjects were divided into three groups.Eleven eyes that had retinoschisis and epiretinal membrane were in group 1,six eyes that had simple epiretinal membrane were in group 2,and 66 eyes that had neither retinoschisis nor epiretinal membrane were in group 3.Six contralateral eyes in group 1 which had retinoschisis and epiretinal membrane but were not treated with intravitreal ranibizumab injection were set as the control group.Results Seven of the 11 eyes in group 1 developed more severe retinoschisis,the mean maximal retinal thickness increased from （380.28±90.13） to （467.00±70.20） μm （P 〈0.05）.The retinoschisis of all 6 eyes of the control group did not aggravate.Compared with the control group,the aggravation ratio of retinoschisis increased significantly （P 〈0.05）.No new onset of retinoschisis took place in group 2 and group 3.Conclusion Intravitreal ranibizumab injection may be a risk factor for aggravation of retinoschisis in eyes with preexisted retinoschisis and epiretinal membrane.

The use of aflibercept in ophthalmology:a review of randomized controlled trials

We reviewed randomized controlled trials associated with the intravitreal use of aflibercept for this article. These studies proved that aflibercept is an effective anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agent for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV), diabetic macular edema (DME), and macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion. The incidence of severe ocular or systemic complications after intravitreal administration of aflibercept was low.