Author: Mediha Dilek Özer (Turkey)
Co-authors: Kubra Sarici
Purpose
This study aimed to evaluate the safety and the long, short-term effects of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections on corneal features, anterior segment dynamics, and intraocular pressure (IOP).
Setting/Venue
Prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial
Methods
A total of 60 eyes from 60 patients who received intravitreal anti-VEGF injections (bevacizumab, ranibizumab, or aflibercept) of 0.05 ml volume were included in the study. Specular microscopy was performed to evaluate endothelial cell count (ECD); optical biometry was performed to evaluate central corneal thickness (CCT) and anterior chamber depth (ACD) and pneumatic tonometer was performed to measure intraocular pressure (IOP). Each patient received only 1 injection during the whole observation period. Comparative analysis was performed between measurements taken before the injection and 1 month, 3 months after the injection.
Results
Mean IOP 1 hour after the injection were found to be statistically significantly higher than the measurements before the injection (15.8 ± 3.7 mm Hg vs. 21.1 ± 9.6 mm Hg, P <0.001). However, there was no significant difference in mean IOP between before injection and 1 month (15.0 ± 2.8 mm Hg, P = 0.061), 3 months (16,1 ± 2,7 mm Hg, P = 0.560) after injection. There were no significant differences in the mean ECD, mean CCT, and mean ACD value before injection and 1 hour after the injection (P = 0.688, P = 0.731, and P = 0.553, respectively). Comparison of the measurements of preinjection with 1 month (ECD, P = 0.48; CCT, P = 0.457; ACD, P = 0.825) and 3 months (ECD, P = 0.822; CCT, P = 0.325; ACD, P = 0.556) after the injection showed that there was no significant difference in all features.
Conlusions
Although intravitreal anti-VEGF injection causes a temporary increase in IOP in the short term, it does not affect the structural features of the cornea, anterior segment dynamics and IOP in the long term.
Financial Disclosure
I have no financial disclosure
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