Correlation of OCT Characteristics and Retinal Sensitivity in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Course of Monthly Ranibizumab Treatment

PURPOSE. To evaluate the functional treatment response 3 months and 12 months after monthly ranibizumab in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NAMD). METHODS. Twenty-six eyes showing treatment-naive NAMD were examined with the Heidelberg Spectralis OCT (SD-OCT) and the Nidek MP-1 microperimeter (MP) at baseline, after 3 months, and after 12 months of monthly ranibizumab therapy. Each test point of light sensitivity was transferred to the corresponding location on SD-OCT, and subsequently the microperimetric results were evaluated with respect to the following OCT findings: neovascular complex (NVC), subretinal fluid (SRF), intraretinal fluid (IRF), intraretinal cystoid space (IRCS), serous pigment epithelium detachment (SPED), and fibrovascular pigment epithelium detachment (FPED). RESULTS. Loci of an initial NVC improved significantly from a mean retinal sensitivity value of 2.6 dB +/- 0.8 dB at baseline to 7.4 dB +/- 0.9 dB (P < 0.0001) at month 12. Initial SRF, IRF, and IRCS improved significantly from a mean value of 5.1 dB +/- 0.9 dB to 12.4 dB +/- 0.9 dB (P < 0.0001), 4.0 dB +/- 1.0 dB to 9.3 dB +/- 0.9 dB (P < 0.0001), and 3.4 dB +/- 0.9 dB to 8.2 dB +/- 0.9 dB (P < 0.0001), respectively. An initial SPED improved significantly from a mean retinal sensitivity value of 1.9 dB +/- 1.1 dB at baseline to 9.4 dB +/- 1.1 dB (P < 0.0001) at month 12; a FPED improved significantly from 5.2 dB +/- 0.9 dB at baseline to 7.6 dB +/- 0.9 dB (P < 0.0001) at month 12. CONCLUSIONS. Functional benefit could be detected at all locations of macular pathology, with a lower benefit in the case of FPED and in the case of additional IRCS, and a marked benefit for all types of macular edema. (https://eudract.ema.europa.eu/, number 2006-005684-26.) (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2013;54:1310-1315) DOI:10.1167/iovs.12-11046