Subfoveal choroidal thickness changes after intravitreal bevacizumab injection for neovascular age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (IVB) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME). This retrospective, consecutive, interventional case series study included 43 eyes [21 affected eyes with neovascular AMD (AMD group) and 22 affected eyes with DME (DME group)] which were treated with 1.25 mg/0.5 ml IVB and 43 untreated fellow eyes of 43 patients. SFCT was measured in all 86 eyes at baseline before IVB injection and at day 1, week 1, and month 1 after injection by use of enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI OCT). Central foveal thickness (CFT) and best-corrected visual acuity were analyzed at baseline and during follow-up visits. Main outcome measure was change in SFCT in 1 month after treatment. All 43 eyes treated with IVB showed a significant reduction in SFCT. Mean SFCT in treated eyes decreased from 237.1 ± 75.3 µm at baseline to 214.0 ± 65.7 µm at day 1, 205.4 ± 59.7 at week 1, and 222.7 ± 73.3 at month 1, whereas SFCT in fellow eyes changed from 228.4 ± 63.6 at baseline to 224.5 ± 68.5 at day 1, 220.4 ± 72.1 at week 1, and 226.9 ± 74.0 at month 1. SFCT demonstrated a similar trend toward decrease in both groups. CFT decreased significantly and visual acuity improved significantly. SFCT decreased significantly in AMD and DME eyes following injection. The decreasing effect of bevacizumab on choroidal thickness was highest at first week and continued to the end of first month after injection.