Long-term visual acuity in patients with age-related macular degeneration treated with ranibizumab and persistence of subretinal fluid

Purpose To analyze the visual acuity (VA) in the long term in patients with age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) treated with ranibizumab with persistent subretinal fluid after induction therapy and / or in the follow-up. Methods A retrospective study of all patients with ARMD treated with ranibizumab between January 2008 and April 2010 with persistent subretinal fluid for at least one year of follow-up after the induction therapy with ranibizumab. We reviewed the medical records, optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography in all patients included in the study. Results 36 eyes of 34 patients were included in the study of a total of 216 patients analyzed. 19 eyes (52.7%) had persistent and 17 (47.2%) recurrent sub-retinal fluid during the follow-up (mean 29.06 ± 9.28 months). The initial mean VA was 0.3 ± 0.2, at 3 months 0.43 ± 0.2 and at the end of the follow-up 0.41 ± 0.22 (p> 0.05). The appearance of bleeding in the relapse was associated with poorer final VA (p = 0.004). There was no significant difference in final VA in the membrane type, lesion size, presence of pigment epithelial detachment or blood before treatment. 18 eyes (50%) remain on treatment with ranibizumab,16 eyes (44%) are observed and 2 patients died. We did not find differences in VA and central macular thickness between both groups. Conclusion The persistence or recurrence of macular subretinal fluid in patients treated with ranibizumab did not significantly lower visual gain obtained after the induction therapy, despite the discontinuation of treatment during the follow-up.