[Anti-VEGF therapy of exudative AMD: Prognostic factors for therapy success]

Abstract

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate possible prognostic and predictive factors (morphologic and functional) of the individual visual gain/decline after anti-VEGF therapy of exudative AMD.

Patients/methods: Best corrected visual acuity (VA), microperimetric sensitivity (RS), retinal thickness (RT) and autofluorescence pattern (AF) were documented in 128 patients with exudative AMD.

Results: Eyes with classic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) had the best visual gain but still remained at a lower level. Eyes which initially had the lowest VA had the largest gain and those with good initial VA could maintain this level. There was no correlation between RT and visual outcome. Eyes with initially normal AF had a significantly greater visual gain.

Conclusions: The type of CNV, initial VA, RS and the initial RT were only of limited usefulness, while the initial foveal AF was most important predictive factor. This may indicate that preexisting changes and irreversible damage in the outer retina and/or retinal pigment epithelium are responsible for the resulting VA after therapy.