Reasons for Delayed Anti-VEGF Treatment During COVID-19 Lockdown and Clinical Impact in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

INTRODUCTION: Timely anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment is crucial for visual function in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). The aim of this study was to assess the reasons for anti-VEGF treatment delay during the COVID-19 lockdown and its clinical impact in patients with nAMD. METHODS: A retrospective, observational, multicentre study in patients with nAMD treated with anti-VEGF therapy was performed in 16 centres nationwide. Data were retrieved from the FRB Spain registry, patient medical records and administrative databases. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they received or missed intravitreal injections during the COVID-19 lockdown. RESULTS: A total of 302 eyes from 245 patients were included (timely treated group [TTG] 126 eyes; delayed treatment group [DTG] 176 eyes). Visual acuity (VA; ETDRS letters) decreased from baseline to post-lockdown visit in the DTG (mean [standard deviation] 59.1 (20.8) vs. 57.1 (19.7); p = 0.020) and was maintained in the TTG (64.2 [16.5] vs. 63.6 [17.5]; p = 0.806). VA worsened by an average of − 2.0 letters in the DTG and by − 0.6 in the TTG (p = 0.016). A higher proportion of visits were cancelled due to hospital overload in the TTG (76.5%) than in the DTG (47%), and a higher proportion of patients missed visits in the DTG (53%) than in the TTG (23.5%, p = 0.021), with fear of COVID-19 infection being the main reason for missed visits (60%/50%). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment delays were caused by both hospital saturation and patients’ decision; the latter being mainly driven by fear of COVID-19 infection. These delays had a detrimental effect on the visual outcomes in nAMD patients.