To evaluate the treatment outcomes of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy for retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) tear in retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP).

In the present study we retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 14 patients (14 eyes) diagnosed with RPE tear secondary to RAP treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) when the RPE tear developed was compared with BCVA at 6 months and at the final follow-up.

The mean age of the study patients was 75.1 ± 7.0 years and the mean follow-up period was 23.7 ± 13.7 months. During the follow-up period, patients were treated with a mean of 2.8 ± 1.3 intravitreal anti-VEGF injections. The mean logarithm of minimal angle of resolution BCVA when the RPE tear developed, at 6 months and at the final follow-up was 1.25 ± 0.44, 1.44 ± 0.56, and 1.65 ± 0.39, respectively. The BCVA at 6 months was not different from the baseline value ( p = 0.258), whereas the BCVA at the final follow-up was significantly worse than the baseline value ( p = 0.002).

The prognosis of RPE tear in RAP is poor despite anti-VEGF therapy. This result suggests further investigations regarding the prevention of RPE tear or more effective treatment method for this condition are necessary.