Intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) in the treatment of macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion

PURPOSE: To report the authors' experience after intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech) injection in patients with macular edema (ME) secondary to branch retinal vein occlusive disease (BRVO). METHODS: A consecutive retrospective review of patients with ME secondary to BRVO who were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 mL). Patients underwent complete ophthalmic evaluation, which included nonstandardized Snellen visual acuity testing, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and/or angiographic testing at baseline and follow-up visits. RESULTS: There were 27 consecutive patients who received intravitreal bevacizumab injections. The mean length of follow-up was 5.3 months (median 6 months, range 3-8 months). The mean visual acuity improved from 20/200(-) at baseline to 20/100(-) at 1 month and 20/100(+) at 3 months and last follow-up (P < 0.001). The mean central 1 mm macular thickness was 478 microm at baseline and decreased to 310, 336, and 332 microm at 1 month, 3 months, and last follow-up (P < 0.001). Patients received an average of two injections (range one to three). No adverse side effects were observed following injections. CONCLUSION: The observed anatomic (by ophthalmic examination, OCT, and/or fluorescence angiography) and visual acuity improvements and lack of serious adverse side effects after intravitreal bevacizumab injection demonstrates, in principle, the potential of bevacizumab for the treatment of ME in this setting.