Post-Market Experience With Ocriplasmin Including Chronic Electrophysiologic Changes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Intravitreal ocriplasmin has recently been used to treat vitreomacular traction, including macular holes. Recent safety concerns have arisen. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of the authors' first nine patients (eight with macular holes) who were treated with intravitreal ocriplasmin. Standard clinical data were collected before and after injection, including electroretinography. RESULTS: Three of the nine patients had significant electroretinogram (ERG) depression; two of these had successful closure of the macular hole. Significant ERG depression, lasting up to 15 months, occurred in one patient. The third patient had moderate ERG depression but without macular hole closure. The six remaining patients experienced no change in visual acuity or ERG. CONCLUSION: This is one of the first reports of ocriplasmin for the treatment of macular hole including ERGs showing long-term loss of rod and cone function. Ocriplasmin successfully closed the macular hole in two of the eight patients (25%), and it was these same two patients who also experienced marked ERG depression.