Intravitreal bevacizumab treatment for radiation macular edema after plaque radiotherapy for choroidal melanoma

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of intravitreal bevacizumab treatment on patients with macular edema (ME) due to radiation retinopathy after plaque radiotherapy for choroidal melanoma. METHODS: In this retrospective case series, 10 consecutive patients with ME due to radiation retinopathy after plaque radiotherapy for choroidal melanoma were treated with a single intravitreal injection of bevacizumab. Postinjection best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and mean foveal thickness measured by ocular coherence tomography were the primary outcome measures. RESULTS: The mean BCVA at the time of the diagnosis of choroidal melanoma was 20/25 (range, 20/20 to 20/40). The mean radiation dose to the foveola was 4,323 cGy (range, 1,908-7,975 cGy). Radiation ME developed at a mean of 26 months (range, 17-44 months) after plaque radiotherapy. Choroidal melanoma regressed in all patients, and there were no neovascular sequelae. At the time of radiation ME diagnosis, the mean BCVA was 20/100 (range, 20/40 to 20/200). After bevacizumab injection, the mean BCVA was 20/86 at 6 weeks and 20/95 at 4 months. Mean foveal thickness measured by ocular coherence tomography was 482 microm before injection, 284 microm 6 weeks after injection, and 449 mum 4 months after injection. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal bevacizumab injection decreases mean foveal thickness while only modestly improving BCVA on a short-term basis in patients with radiation-induced ME.