<p>Short-Term Changes in Intraocular Pressure After Intravitreal Injection of Bevacizumab for the Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity</p>

Abstract

PurposeTo evaluate short-term changes in intraocular pressure after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for retinopathy of prematurity.Patients and methodsThis study was a prospective case-series. Consecutive infants underwent intravitreal injection with bevacizumab for type 1 retinopathy of prematurity at a university hospital. Intraocular pressure was measured with tonometer at baseline, at 1 min, and at 3, 10, 30 and 60 mins after injection.ResultsFive patients (four boys) were enrolled in this study. Mean (± standard deviation) intraocular pressure was 8.0 ± 2.4 mmHg (range: 6–11.5 mmHg) just before the intravitreal injection, and the pressures were 19.8 ± 2.8 mmHg (16.4–23.9 mmHg), 14.6 ± 4.4 mmHg (7.6–18.4 mmHg), 11.2 ± 4.2 mmHg (6.4–16.5 mmHg), 9.3 ± 3.5 mmHg (5.8–13.2 mmHg), and 8.2 ± 1.4 mmHg (6.9–10.0 mmHg) at 1 min, 3, 10, 30 and 60 mins after the injection, respectively. Mean intraocular pressure after 1 min was significantly higher than intraocular pressure before injection (p = 0.02). Pressures decreased between 1 min and 3 mins after intravitreal injection, although there was no statistically significant difference between the pressures at those time-points. Intraocular pressures after 3, 10, 30 and 60 mins were not significantly different from the pressure before injection.ConclusionIntraocular pressure elevation after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for neonatal infants may be mild, so there may be a limited risk due to intraocular pressure after intraocular injection of bevacizumab for retinopathy of prematurity.

Intraocular pressure effect of intravitreal conbercept injection for retinopathy of prematurity

“…We should also consider the safety of IVC while conducting therapies. To our knowledge, only a few studies have reported an IOP increase after anti-VEGF injection in infants ( Kato et al, 2019 ; Obata et al, 2019 ; Ozdemir et al, 2021 ). No studies have investigated IOP increase after conbercept injection in infants.…”

“…According to this study, IVI in premature newborns with ROP may not require IOP measurement after all. ( Obata et al, 2019 ). The dose commonly administered in the ROP trial is half the adult dose.…”

“…Discussions about the safety of the treatments have been frequently reported, among which the change in intraocular pressure (IOP) after injections has always been an area of interest. Some studies have shown that the IOP often increases after IVIs of ranibizumab and bevacizumab ( Lee et al, 2016 ; Obata et al, 2019 ).…”