Posters

Intravitreal anti-VEGF injection effect on tear osmolarity

Poster Details

First Author: I.Lace LATVIA

Co Author(s):    E. Elksnis   S. Kudina   G. Laganovska              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents have become a commonly used treatment method for a number of ophthalmic conditions. Although anti-VEGF therapy has shown promising results for many patients, there are several aspects that have not been thoroughly investigated. One of these is the development of dry eye syndrome.

Setting:

Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Riga, Latvia

Methods:

Prospective study performed in PSCUH from June 2017 - February 2018. Tear osmolarity was tested using TearLab Osmolarity system. To collect and analyze data IBM SPSS 21 was used. 27 patients (54 eyes), who needed intravitreal injections, were taken for further examination. The inclusion criteria were: patients who recieved intravitreal injections for the first time because of AMD, diabetic maculopathy or retinal vein occlusion. The eye that wasn't injected was used as a control group. Measurements were taken before injections for three months (three injections).

Results:

There were 31 eyes in the study group and 23 eyes in the control group. Before the treatment mean tear osmolarity in the study group was 301.25 mOsm/L (SD=9.24) and 305.26 mOsm/L (SD=14.31) in the control group. Before the second injection mean tear osmolarity was 305.15 mOsm/L (SD=23.46) in the study group and 305.00 mOsm/L (SD=8.97) in the control group. At the third injection mean tear osmolarity in the study group was 309.97 mOsm/L (SD=8.92) and 306.60 mOsm/L (SD=24.75) in the control group.

Conclusions:

Tear osmolarity increased after intravitreal injections in the treatment group while it remained quite stable in the control group. Further research should be done to exclude factors that may have had an effect.

Financial Disclosure:

None