Early Experience with Intravitreal Bevacizumab Combined with Laser Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to present our early experience with intravitreal bevacizumab combined with laser treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) at a single institution over a 13-month-period. METHODS: A retrospective case series of eight children with ROP who received intravitreal bevacizumab combined with laser treatment between June 2007 and July 2008 were reported. A chart review was conducted to evaluate if stability of the ROP lesion had been achieved. Main information collected included data on demographics, gestational age, birth weight, length of stay in neonatal intensive care unit, and stage of ROP. RESULTS: Fifteen eyes of eight subjects were treated. One eye did not receive any treatment due to complete retinal detachment. The median age at treatment was 8 weeks (range, 6 weeks to 1 year). The most common stage of ROP was 3+. All eyes remained stable at 1 year or later after treatment. CONCLUSION: Intravitreal bevacizumab in conjunction with laser treatment had promising results at our institution. We recommend prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trials to compare the effect of laser treatment alone, of bevacizumab treatment alone (at different doses), and of combined bevacizumab and laser treatment.