One-year outcomes of a treat-and-extend regimen of intravitreal aflibercept for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy

Purpose: To evaluate the 1-year treatment outcomes of intravitreal aflibercept injections (IVA) using a treat-and-extend regimen for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Methods: Thirty-seven eyes with treatment-naive PCV treated with IVA using a treat-and-extend regimen for 1 year were reviewed retrospectively. The main outcome measures were changes in the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT), and the treatment interval at 1 year. The predictive factors for patients who could not continue to extend the treatment interval because of poor response to IVA or recurrence were analyzed. Results: The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution BCVA improved from 0.37 at baseline to 0.21 at 1 year (P < 0.001). The mean CRT decreased from 342.3 μm at baseline to 196.6 μm at 1 year (P < 0.001). The mean treatment interval was 9.7 weeks at 1 year (4 weeks in 11 eyes [29.7%], 6 weeks in 1 eye [2.7%], 8 weeks in 2 eyes [5.4%], 10 weeks in 1 eye [2.7%], and 12 weeks in 22 eyes [59.5%]). A larger number of polypoidal lesions at baseline was predictive for patients who could not continue to extend the treatment interval. Conclusions: IVA using a treat-and-extend regimen is effective for improving BCVA and CRT in eyes with PCV.