Intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) treatment of choroidal neovascularisation in patients with angioid streaks.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) as treatment for choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) associated with angioid streaks

METHODS: A non-randomised, interventional case series conducted on eyes with subfoveal CNV associated with angioid streaks. Intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg in 0.05 ml) was injected into nine eyes of six patients between August 2005 and December 2007. Treatment efficacy was assessed based on pre- and post-treatment visual acuity and optical coherence tomography (OCT).

RESULTS: With a mean follow-up of 19 months (range 10 to 28 months), the best corrected visual acuity improved by three or more lines in four eyes (44.4%), remained within two lines of baseline in four eyes (44.4%) and decreased by three or more lines in one eye (11.1%). Central foveal thickness (CFT) measured by OCT decreased an average of 67.7 microm (range +11 to -175 microm) with an average improvement in standardised change in macular thickening of 46.6% (range -12% to +84.5%). No injection-related complications or drug-related side effects were observed.

CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal bevacizumab for the treatment of subfoveal CNV secondary to angioid streaks mildly reduced central foveal thickness with a trend toward stabilisation of visual acuity. Additional follow-up and a larger patient cohort are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of this treatment.