Non-infectious Intraocular Inflammation Following Intravitreal Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Injection

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the functional and anatomical results of patients with non-infectious intraocular inflammation (IOI) following intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injection for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of patients receiving anti-VEGF treatment for nAMD between January 2015 and March 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative and postoperative routine ophthalmological examinations, central macular thickness, duration of inflammation, and follow-up time of the patients with non-infectious IOI following anti-VEGF injection were recorded. RESULTS: Non-infectious IOI was determined in 13 eyes (11 eyes with aflibercept, 2 eyes with ranibizumab) of 1,966 patients who received a total of 12,652 anti-VEGF (4,796 aflibercept and 7,856 ranibizumab) injections. IOI was detected after a mean of 7 injections (2-12 injections). All eyes had both anterior chamber reaction (Tyndall +1/+3) and vitritis (grade 1-3). None of the patients had pain, hypopyon, or fibrin reaction. Visual acuity progressed to baseline levels within 28.3 days. Vitritis continued with a mean of 40 days. All patients recovered with topical steroid therapy. In 11 eyes, injection of the same anti-VEGF agent was continued. No recurrence of IOI was observed in any patients. CONCLUSION: Non-infectious IOI following intravitreal anti-VEGF injection typically occurs without pain, conjunctival injection, hypopyon, or fibrin and responds well to topical steroid therapy. Visual acuity returns to baseline levels within weeks according to the severity of inflammation.