Effect of Preoperative Intravitreal Bevacizumab on the Surgical Outcome of Neovascular Glaucoma at Different Stages

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of preoperative intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection on the surgical outcome of Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation according to the angle status in neovascular glaucoma (NVG) eyes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 70 NVG patients who underwent AGV implantation and were followed up for at least 12 months. An IVB injection before AGV implantation was administered to 45 eyes (IVB group), while it was not administered to 25 eyes (control group). Subgroup analyses were done at different stages in terms of the extent of peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS). RESULTS: Mean follow-up period after AGV implantation was 27 ± 15 months. The IVB group showed higher prevalence of the eyes with less than 50% of PAS than that of the control group (78% versus 44%). The overall success rate 1 year postoperatively was 80% and 64% for the IVB and control groups, respectively (P = 0.142). When PAS extent was less than 50%, preoperative IVB had a marginally positive effect on surgical outcome (HR = 0.39, P = 0.064, per 1-time IVB injection). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative IVB may enhance the success rate of AGV implantation in NVG eyes, before PAS has extensively formed. Further prospective randomized studies controlling the extent of PAS are warranted.