Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab with or without photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in Korean patients. Methods: A retrospective chart review of 22 patients (24 eyes) with PCV was conducted. Nine eyes were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab combined with a single session of PDT (group 1), and 15 eyes were treated only with ranibizumab (group 2). Such clinical evaluations as best-corrected Snellen visual acuity, central retinal thickness (CRT) by optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were done at baseline, 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after the first injections. Ranibizumab was reinjected on an as-needed basis guided by OCT, FA and ICGA, or at the doctor’s discretion. Results: The mean follow-up duration was 22.5 months (range 12–37). The mean best-corrected visual acuity (logMAR) improved, and the mean CRT decreased throughout 12 months in both groups; no statistically significant difference between the groups was found (p = 0.327, p = 0.073, respectively). The number of ranibizumab injections was not significantly different either (p = 0.555). Conclusions: Intravitreal ranibizumab with or without PDT for PCV in Korean patients resulted in visual and anatomical improvement over the 1-year follow-up period.

PurposeTo compare the outcomes after phacoemulsification performed with the AquaLase® and phacoemulsification in MicroFlow® system, including surgically induced astigmatism (SIA), corneal endothelial cell damage and postoperative recovery of visual acuity.MethodsThe cataracts of Lens Opacities Classification System, version III (LOCS III) nuclear grade below 2 were subjected in this study. Nineteen eyes underwent cataract operation using AquaLase® (Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.A.). A control group (19 eyes) used the MicroFlow® system (Millenium, Stortz, U.S.A.) and was selected by matching age, sex, systemic disease, corneal astigmatism and corneal endothelial cell density. All the surgeries were performed by the same operator. SIA, corneal endothelial cell loss, visual acuity, and corneal thickness were evaluated postoperatively.ResultsSIA in the group using AquaLase® was less than that of the group using MicroFlow® system (P=0.022) at 2 months postoperatively. Evaluation of corneal endothelial cell loss, recovery of visual acuity and corneal thickness found no statistically significant differences between the two groups.ConclusionsCataract surgery using AquaLase® induces less surgically induced astigmatism in mild to moderate cataracts.