Objective: To evaluate the effect of intravitreal anti-vascularendothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injection onintraocular pressure (IOP) and ocular axial length (AL).Methods: A prospective series of consecutive patientsundergoing injection of intravitreal bevacizumab or ranibizumabin our clinic was investigated. IOP was measuredwith Tono-Pen and ocular AL with ultrasound biometrybefore (IOP0, AL0) and about 1 min (IOP1, AL1) and 24hours (IOP2, AL2) after intravitreal injection. Logistic regressionanalysis was used to investigate factors (lensstatus, presence of glaucoma and previous intravitrealinjection) associated with increased IOP and AL.Results: We recruited 96 patients with a mean age of66.7±12 years, 53 (55%) men and 43 (45%) women.One minute after the injection (IOP1), mean IOP increasedfrom 15.2±3.5 mmHg (IOP0) to 22.2±8.6 mmHg(p<0.001). 24 hours after the injection, IOP decreased amean level of 14.7±3.6 mmHg (IOP0 vs. IOP2, p˃0.05).Mean AL0, AL1 and AL2 values were 23.1± 0.82 mm,23.25± 0.81 mm and 23± 0.8 mm, respectively. AL elongationwas statistically significant just after injection (AL0vs. AL1, p˂0.001). 24 hours after AL values were droppedbelow the baseline values (AL0 vs. AL2 p=0.04). Regressionanalysis showed a trend towards pseudophakicpatients having higher IOP and AL at one minute. It wasalso observed that having previous intravitreal injectionscause higher IOP elevation.Conclusion: Intravitreal anti-VEGF injections may leada transient IOP elevation and AL elongation. Cliniciansshould consider checking IOP after intravitreal injectionsas a precaution. Further investigations are required to understandbiometric changes after intravitreal injections. JClin Exp Invest 2013; 4 (3): 326-330Key words: Intravitreal injection, intraocular pressure,ocular axial length
