Electrophysiological Assessment of Optic Nerve and Retinal Functions Following Intravitreal Injection of Bevacizumab (Avastin)

Purpose: To evaluate the retinal and optic nerve functions of bevacizumab when injected intravitreal in human eyes using electrophysiological tests; electroretinogram (ERG) and visual evoked potentials (VEP). Methods: Fifty-five eyes of 55 patients with choroidal neovascular membrane (CNV) who were prepared for intravitreal injections of 1.25 mg bevacizumab underwent baseline ERG and VEP in both eyes before, and at 1 and 6 weeks after the intravitreal injections. Results: Mean age was 50 years ranging from 24 to 62 years, with 32 age-related macular degenerations and 23 myopic patients. Mean baseline best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 4/60, and mean final BCVA at 6 weeks was 6/60. There was no statistically significant reduction of the postinjection (1 and 6 weeks) ERG A and B-waves or the VEP waves' amplitudes and latency, or in the contralateral noninjected eyes. On the contrary, there were statistically significant improvement at 1 and 6 weeks in the photopic B-wave of the injected and fellow eyes (P values = 0.046, and < 0.001). Conclusions: Intravitreal bevacizumab did not appear to be toxic to the retina or the optic nerve at a concentration of 1.25 mg.