Researchers in Norway have found that repeated intravitreal injections (IVI) with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) improved some dry-eye disease symptoms in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

The study, led by Stavanger University Hospital’s Dr Agni Malmin, treated 90 nAMD patients with unilateral anti-VEGF, including preoperative povidone-iodine application, with the fellow eye serving as control. The median number of injections per eye was 19.5, resulting in a mean meibomian gland loss in the upper lid of 19.1% and 25.5% in treated and untreated eyes, respectively; lower lid, 17.4% and 24.5%; mean bulbar redness score 1.32 and 1.44; and median tear meniscus height was 0.36mm and 0.32mm.

There were no significant differences between treated and fellow eyes in non-invasive tear break-up time, tear film osmolarity, Schirmer’s test, corneal staining, fluorescein tear break-up time, meibomian gland expressibility or meibum quality, said researchers. However, repeated IVI with anti-VEGF with preoperative povidone-iodine application was associated with reduced meibomian gland loss, increased tear volume and reduced signs of inflammation compared to fellow non-treated eyes in patients with nAMD, they said, concluding the regimen may have a beneficial effect on the ocular surface.