ANATOMICAL AND FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES OF INTRAVITREAL BEVACIZUMAB IN MACULAR EDEMA ASSOCIATED RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSION: A SINGLE-CENTER EXPERIENCE AT PRINCE RASHID BIN AL-HASSAN MILITARY HOSPITAL

Hesham Q. Rawashdeh*, MD, Areej Al Assassfeh, MD, Duaa T. Daradkeh, MD, Ibrahim Al Keelany, MD, Najd Al Quraan, MD

ABSTRACT

Aim: To assess the anatomical and functional outcomes of intravitreal Bevacizumab injections in patients with Diabetic Macular Edema treated at Prince Rashid Bin Al-Hassan Military Hospital over a one-year period. Methods: This is a retrospective conducted at the ophthalmology clinic in Prince Rashid Bin Al-Hassan Military Hospital between January 2023 and December 2025. All patients diagnosed with macular edema of more than 325 µm secondary to either BRVO or CRVO at the ophthalmology clinic in Prince Rashid Bin Al-Hassan Military Hospital and received a three loading doses of intra vitreal bevacizumab injections were included in the study. Data regarding patient age and gender were recorded, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and central macular thickness (CMT) measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) were recorded before treatment and at one month after treatment. Results: 100 patients (100 eyes) with a mean age of 66.2 years were included in this study. Male accounted for (61.3%) of Patients. 56.0% of them had BRVO and remaining had CRVO. The mean baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.15 Snellen, and the mean central macular thickness (CMT) was 489.3 μm. Significant improvement in BCVA was found after completing the loading doses when compared to baseline (p = 0.001). The mean visual improvement after one month of treatment was (0.32), further improvement occurred at 3 months (0.56). Significant number of eyes (42%) showed a gain of ≥ 10 ETDRS letters, 21.0% of those eyes gained ≥ 15 letters. Stable vision (± 4 letters) was found in 20% of eyes. only 8.0% of eyes experienced loss of ≥ 5 letters, and 4% of eyes showed a loss of ≥ 15 letters. All of eyes which showed deterioration of vision after treatment had CRVO not BCRVA. At baseline, the mean CMT was 41489.3μm, after giving the loading doses of intravitreal bevacizumab injections, marked and significant improvement in CMT was noted at follow-up visits (p < 0.001) when compared with baseline levels. The improvement strted after 1 month (-147.1 μm) and continued at 2 months (-198.8 μm) and the greatest mean reduction occurred at month 3 (-228.4 μm). Complete anatomical resolution of DME was obtained in 51.0% of eyes at 2 months and 70.0% at 3months. Conclusions: Intravitreal bevacizumab loading doses demonstrated marked improvement in macular edema resulting from retinal vein occlusion, with an excellent safety profile.

Keywords: Bevacizumab, macular edema, Retinal vein occlusion.