Background: Choroidal neovascularisation is often associated with pathological myopia. Bisphosphonates (BP), the preferred drug for treatment of osteoporosis, are known to have anti-angiogenic effects.
Objective: To compare the therapeutic effects of oral BP with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy (anti-VEGF) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) for myopic choroidal neovascularisation (mCNV) over 2 years of follow-up.
Methods: One hundred eyes of 96 consecutive patients with mCNV who underwent oral BP treatment (alendronate 5 mg/day or 35 mg/week), anti-VEGF therapy, PDT or observation only were followed up for 2 years. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the central retinal thickness (CRT) in optical coherence tomography were compared among the treatment groups.
Results: The mean BCVA of the patients was maintained for up to 2 years in the BP and PDT groups. In the anti-VEGF group, the mean BCVA was significantly improved but was significantly worse in the no-treatment group. The visual outcomes were significantly better in the BP, PDT and anti-VEGF groups than the no-treatment group over 2 years of follow-up (-0.28, -0.26 and -0.39 logMAR units, p=0.032, 0.021 and 0.0004, respectively). The mean CRT was significantly decreased in all treatment groups (-84, -121 and -122 mm, p=0.0025, 0.017 and 0.000025, respectively).
Conclusions: Oral BP should be investigated further as possible therapeutic and preventive drugs for mCNV.
Keywords: Drugs; Macula; Treatment Medical.