Switch from intravitreal ranibizumab to bevacizumab for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration: clinical comparison.

OBJECTIVE: To compare outcomes after switching from intravitreal ranibizumab to bevacizumab in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

METHODS: A retrospective review of 110 eyes treated in a 1+PRN (pro re nata) clinical setting with ranibizumab that were switched to bevacizumab. Patients analyzed had at least 3 ranibizumab injections followed by at least 3 bevacizumab injections. Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), retinal thickness and frequency of injections were compared.

RESULTS: The mean duration of ranibizumab treatment was 18.1 months, followed by 12.2 months of bevacizumab. Mean injection rates per month were similar (0.54 and 0.56 respectively, p = 0.230). There were no significant differences between BCVA at baseline and at the time of the switch (52.4 and 54.8 letters, p = 0.059). After the switch, there was a statistically significant decrease in BCVA to 51.7 letters (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Switching patients to bevacizumab may have a minor negative effect on the initial gain obtained with ranibizumab; however the degenerative history of wet AMD could explain this small variation in visual acuity.