Background: Exudative age-related macular degeneration is commonly treated with intravitreal injection of medications containing antibodies against vascular endothelial growth factors, including ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA) and bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech). To the best of our knowledge, hyphema has not previously been reported as a complication of intravitreal injection of ranibizumab or bevacizumab.
Methods: Retrospective case series.
Results: Three patients developed hyphema after intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor medications: one after ranibizumab and two after bevacizumab. Two patients were pseudophakic and taking warfarin in combination with low-dose aspirin, and one was phakic and not taking any coagulation-altering medications. A total of 26,184 intravitreal injections of ranibizumab or bevacizumab were given during the study period, for an estimated incidence of hyphema after intravitreal injection of approximately 1 in 10,000.
Conclusion: The authors describe hyphema, either gross or microscopic, as a complication of intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor medications. In all three patients, best-corrected vision returned to baseline after resolution of the hyphema and subsequent injections occurred without complication.