The case report presents the difference of the effect of two drugs blocking vascular endothelial growing factor (anti-VEGF)--sodium pegaptanib and ranibizumab--in a female patient with the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer ablation as a part of the exsudative age-related macular degeneration. Fifty-five years old female patient with RPE ablation as a sign of exsudative ARMD and central visual acuity 79 letters of the EDTRS chart in the left eye was treated by 5 intravitreal injections of sodium pegaptanib. The treatment was not sufficiently effective according to the fluorescein angiography (FAG) and optic coherence tomography (OCT) findings and was accompanied by further decrease of the visual acuity to 55 letters of the EDTRS chart. After the medication was switched to ranibizumab with 3 intravitreal applications, the RPE ablation flattened according to the OCT findings and the fluorescein leakage during the FAG markedly decreased. The central visual acuity improved to 63 letters of the EDTRS chart. The decreased activity of the choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is observed during the following 4 months after the last intravitreal application of ranibizumab. Ranibizumab seems to be more effective drug comparing to the sodium pegaptanib in patients with the RPE ablation, but it is necessary to consider the increased probability of the RPE rupture risk.

Ocní klinika FN a UP Olomouc