Long-Term Management of Complications of Retinal Artery Macroaneurysms with Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection

PURPOSE: To report the 1-year follow-up results of intravitreal aflibercept injection (IAI) for the management of complications of retinal artery macroaneurysms (RAM). METHODS: A retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series of 4 eyes of 4 patients (all female, aged 68–91 years, 3 treatment naive) treated with IAI 2 mg for complications of RAM [macular edema (ME) 2, submacular hemorrhage (SMH) 1, and vitreous hemorrhage (VH) 1] was conducted. Baseline parameters consisted of complete ocular examination, medical history, best-corrected Snellen VA, fundus photography, IVFA and SD OCT, unless precluded by VH (1). All patients completed ≥1 year follow-up. RESULTS: Baseline VA was hand motions in the eye with SMH (31 mm(2) area and 1,478 μm thickness); 20/40 and 20/100 with ME (CST 390 and 337 μm, respectively), and 20/200 in the eye with VH. At 1 month, both patients with ME showed resolution of ME with CST <300 μm with improvement in VA which was maintained through 1 year. VH resolved in one eye at 1 month with no recurrence after 1 year. The eye with SMH developed macular scar and had counting fingers vision at 1 year. Thrombosis of RAM was noted in all eyes and hairpin-like remodeling of artery in one. No eye required repeat injection or laser. CONCLUSION: ME and VH from RAM were effectively treated with IAI. However, the eye with thick SMH had poor visual outcome despite thrombosis of RAM. Single IAI provided effective therapy for complications of RAM with excellent anatomical and visual results in each eye, except one with thick SMH, and merits further study.