To evaluate the short-term effect of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin®) in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

Intravitreal Avastin® was injected into 13 eyes of 13 patients with PCV in this retrospective, interventional case study. The follow-up period lasted over 3 months after therapy. Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), foveal height determined by optical coherence tomography, and abnormal vasculature in indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were evaluated.

The mean LogMAR BCVA was 0.82 at baseline, 0.78 at 1 month after treatment, and 0.73 at 3 months after treatment. Visual acuity was stabilized or improved in 13 eyes (100%). The mean foveal height was 288 µm at baseline, 231 µm ( p <0.05) at 1 month after treatment, and 196 µm at 3 months after treatment. The polypoidal lesions in ICGA decreased in 4 eyes (31%), although branching vasculature in ICGA was unchanged in 13 eyes (100%).

Intravitreal injection of Avastin® may stabilize visual acuity and reduce macular edema due to decreased retinal pigment epithelial detachment and leaking. However, intravitreal injection had a minimal effect in occlusion of the symptomatic polypoidal lesions and no effect in occlusion of the branching vascular network.