Changes in central retinal thickness following intravitreal ranibizumab for age-related macular degeneration

Purpose: To report early changes in central retinal thickness (CRT) after intravitreal ranibizumab for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Cases and Method: This study was made on 66 eyes of 66 cases of AMD treated in the past 15 months. The series comprised 51 males and 15 females. Thirty-five cases were treatment-naïve and 31 cases had received similar treatment before. Affected eyes received intravitreal injection of ranibizumab at one-month interval. CRT was measured before, one day and one week after the first treatment, and one month after the third treatment. Results: CRT one week after the first treatment decreased in 63%, remained unchanged in 34%, and increased in 3%. It decreased in 68% and remained unchanged in 32% in eyes with previous treatment. Cases with unchanged or increased CRT were significantly more frequent in occult AMD. CRT one month after the third session of ranibizumab was significantly decreased in eyes that showed decrease in CRT one week after the first session. Conclusion: Eyes that failed to show decreased CRT one week after initial ranibizumab may be resistant to further treatments.