Purpose: To evaluate the long-term outcomes of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monotherapy for patients diagnosed with submacular hemorrhage secondary to exudative age-related macular degeneration.
Methods: This retrospective, observational study included 49 patients (49 eyes) who initially presented with submacular hemorrhage associated with exudative age-related macular degeneration and who were followed-up for at least 24 months. Only eyes that were treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF monotherapy were included in the study. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurements obtained at diagnosis, six months, and the final visit were compared. The associations of BCVA at the final visit with baseline BCVA, BCVA at six months, symptom duration, hemorrhage extent, and central foveal thickness were also analyzed.
Results: Over the course of follow-up (mean, 32.1 ± 8.5 months), an average of 5.1 ± 2.2 anti-VEGF injections were administered. Recurrent hemorrhage was noted in 13 eyes (26.5%). The mean logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution BCVA at diagnosis, six months, and the final visit were 1.40 ± 0.52, 0.87 ± 0.64, and 1.03 ± 0.83, respectively. Both baseline BCVA (p = 0.012) and BCVA at six months (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with BCVA at the final visit.
Conclusions: Improved visual acuity was maintained for more than two years with intravitreal anti-VEGF monotherapy. BCVA at six months is a useful clinical index to predict long-term visual prognosis.
Keywords: Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor; Exudative age-related macular degeneration; Long-term outcome; Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy; Submacular hemorrhage.