Outcome of Switching Anti-VEGF Agents at Fixed Intervals to Treat Eyes With Macular Edema Secondary to Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion
Abstract ObjectiveTo determine whether switching intravitreal injections of ranibizumab or aflibercept to the other will affect the interval of subsequent injections in patients with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).ResultsThe medical charts of 16 eyes of 16 patients were reviewed. After injections of ranibizumab or aflibercept for >3 times/year, the type of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agent was switched. A comparison was made of the average injection interval for the one year before switching and the interval of the first two injections post-switching. In the group that switched from ranibizumab to aflibercept (R to A group, n=8), the interval before was 85.4±6.6 days which was significantly increased to 125.9±23.2 days post-switching (P=0.0013). In the A to R group (n=8), a significant shortening from 103.9±11.8 days before to 85.9±12.6 days was observed (P=0.007). In the R to A group, the central retinal thickness at a recurrence was 522.1±79.6 µm which decreased significantly to 419.3±64.5 µm post-switching (P=0.005). The results suggest that the intervals can be different between ranibizumab and aflibercept in patients with macular edema secondary to BRVO who required repeat injections.