Visual Outcome and Treatment Frequency of Anti-VEGF Therapy using the Treat-and-extend and Treatment Cessation Regimen for Exudative Age-related Macular Degeneration and Pachychoroid Neovasculopathy

Compared with fixed dosing regimens, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy using treat-and-extend (TAE) and treatment cessation regimens for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PN) may reduce the treatment burden on chronic patients. To confirm this, and to determine the factors related to the successful treatment cessation, we retrospectively examined the visual outcome and treatment frequency of 101 eyes with exudative AMD and PN that underwent treatment using TAE and treatment cessation regimen. We found that visual acuity was maintained at the last visit with a mean follow-up period of four years. At the last visit, nearly half of the eyes were being treated at an interval of ≥ 12 weeks, or were under treatment cessation. Further, more than a quarter of the eyes were under successful treatment cessation with a median treatment-free period of 126 weeks. There was a significant association of successful treatment cessation at the last visit with good early treatment response and a small recurrence number. Moreover, eyes with ≥ 2 recurrences were unlikely to achieve long-term treatment cessation. This information could help physicians predict the achievement of treatment cessation for a considerable period.