OBSERVATION OF INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE FOLLOWING INTRAVITREAL INJECTIONS OF ANTI-VEGF BEVACIZUMAB.

Purpose -To assess the intraocular pressure changes after intravitreal injections of anti-VEGFs(0.05ml bevacizumab ) Methods- It is a prospective observational study done on patients who received intravitreal injections of 0.05ml (1.25mg) of bevacizumab. Overall 32 eyes of 32 patients were injected. Intraocular pressure was measured pre-operatively, 10 min and 45min after the injection by Goldman Applanation Tonometer in sitting position. The fellow eye was taken as control. Results - The mean age was 63.2 years ( ranging from 48- 88 years) with 62.5% of patients being males. Treated eyes had a mean IOP before injection of bevacizumab was 16.2 ± 6.5 mmHg; after 10 min of injection it was 35.2 ± 5.5 mmHg (P<0.001) and 19.2 ± 6.5 mmHg after 45 min . In control eyes, the mean IOP before injection was 14.9 ± 6.0 mmHg, and after 10 min of injection, it was 17.5 ± 6.0 mmHg and after 45 min the IOP was 17.2 ± 2.5mmHg. Conclusion- IOP increased remarkably immediately after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab but returned to safe range within 45 min of injection. None of the patients required paracentesis. Only 2 patients required IOP lowering medications.