Choroidal thickness and choroidal blood flow after intravitreal bevacizumab injection in eyes with central serous chorioretinopathy

Abstract

Background and objective: To quantitatively evaluate choroidal thickness (CT) and choroidal blood flow in the subfoveal region after intravitreal bevacizumab injection (IVB) for the treatment of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

Patients and methods: Prospective, comparative study of 20 eyes with chronic CSC and and 20 fellow eyes treated with 1.25 mg/0.05 mL IVB. Subfoveal CT and serous retinal detachment height were measured using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography. Subfoveal choroidal blood flow was assessed by the mean blur rate of laser speckle flowgraphy. IOP, blood pressure, and pulse rate, and ocular perfusion pressure were also measured. All measurements were made before and after IVB.

Results: Subfoveal fluid was not present after IVB in the affected eyes. The mean subfoveal CT decreased from 335 µm at baseline to 304 and 291 µm at 1 and 3 months, respectively, after IVB. Average mean blur rate ratio decreased from baseline to 92.9% and 88.0% at 1 and 3 months, respectively. In the fellow eyes, subfoveal CT and choroidal blood flow decreased slightly from baseline. There was a significant correlation between the decrease in subfoveal CT and choroidal blood flow after IVB in affected eyes. IOP, mean arterial pressure, pulse rate, and ocular perfusion pressure did not change significantly after IVB.

Conclusion: IVB significantly reduced subfoveal CT, choroidal blood flow, and subretinal fluid absorption in eyes with chronic CSC. The reduction of subfoveal CT after IVB was likely caused by the reduction of subfoveal choroidal blood flow.