Intravitreal injection of ranibizumab using a pro re nata regimen for age-related macular degeneration and vision-related quality of life

Maiko Inoue, Akira Arakawa, Shin Yamane, Kazuaki Kadonosono Department of Ophthalmology, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan Background: The purpose of this study was to assess visual function and vision-related ­quality of life after intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (IVR) using a pro re nata regimen for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.Methods: A prospective study of 54 eyes in 54 patients scheduled to undergo IVR for the treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration was performed. A self-administered, 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) was completed before and 3 and 12 months after the initial IVR treatment. We evaluated logMAR visual acuity and NEI VFQ-25 scores preoperatively and postoperatively. Further, associations between the changes in NEI VFQ-25 scores and patient characteristics were investigated at 12 months. Results: Postoperative best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly when compared with the preoperative visual acuity throughout the 12-month period (P