Posters

Cataract surgery in patients with wet form of age-related macular degeneration treated with aflibercept

Poster Details

First Author: M.Seredyka-Burduk POLAND

Co Author(s):    M. Pol   G. Malukiewicz   B. Kaluzny              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

The aim of our study was to evaluate the visual outcome after cataract surgery in patients with wet form of age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) treated with aflibercept in the National Health Fund Drug Prescription Program. We access if cataract surgery can influence on best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) in patients with wet AMD.

Setting:

Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland

Methods:

We analyzed data of 40 eyes of 37 patients (24 women, 13 men) with  wet AMD who underwent uncomplicated cataract phacoemulsification during treatment with aflibercept intravitreal injections. Mean age of our patients was 79.38±6.13 years. AMD activity was monitored during ophthalmological examination with optic coherence tomography evaluation every 1-2 months. All the patients were treated according to the National Health Fund Drug Prescription Program schedule. Cataract surgery did not change the regimen of visits associated with AMD therapy. We assessed BCVA and CRT before cataract phacoemulsification and during all follow up visits. Average observation time after operation amounted 15.63±8.52 months.

Results:

Mean BCVA, measured on Snellen’s chart, before surgery was 0.27±0.18 (max 0.7, min 0.01), on the first visit after surgery – 0.62±0.24 (max 1.0, min 0.2) and on the last follow up visit 0.56±0.27 (max 1.0, min 0.2). In 35 eyes we observed improvement of the visual acuity, in 5 cases visual acuity did not change. Average CRT before operations was 408.35±128.24 and did not change significantly during follow up visits and amounted respectively – 402.73±110.81 µm and 355.14±73.38 µm during the first and the last visit after surgery.

Conclusions:

Cataract surgery significantly improves  visual acuity in patients with wet form of AMD and does not increase the risk of progression of the AMD if the retina is stabilised (dry) prior to the operation. All patients after surgery need obligatory follow up visits to plan future anty-VEGF injections. In spite of visual improvement cataract surgery in patients with AMD helps to evaluate the retina and to visualise the macula.

Financial Disclosure:

None