All patients underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examinations during their initial visits, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) testing, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, intraocular pressure measurement using a Goldmann applanation tonometer (Luneau Technology Operations, Normandie, France) and dilated fundoscopy. Fluorescein angiography (FA) images were captured using Spectralis Heidelberg Retinal angiography (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany); the OCT map, including the central retinal thickness (CRT) measurement, was captured using a Triton OCT (Topcon Medical Systems, Inc., Oakland, NJ, USA). All imaging tests were performed by experienced orthoptists blinded to the treatment status.
Intravitreal injections were administered in a standardized manner by a trained ophthalmologist (Y.Y.) using 0.4% oxybuprocaine hydrochloride (0.4% benoxyl ophthalmic solution, Santen Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan) and 2% xylocaine as the anesthetic and povidone-iodine as an antiseptic. An eyelid speculum (HOYA CORPORATION, Tokyo, Japan) was used to stabilize eyelids. The injection concentration of aflibercept (Eylea, Bayer Yakuhin Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) was 2 mg/0.05 mL, while that of ranibizumab (Lucentis; Novartis Pharma K. K., Tokyo, Japan) was 0.5 mg/0.05 mL. Finally, an OCT examination was performed 1 month after the injection.
Intravitreal injections were administered in a standardized manner by a trained ophthalmologist (Y.Y.) using 0.4% oxybuprocaine hydrochloride (0.4% benoxyl ophthalmic solution, Santen Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan) and 2% xylocaine as the anesthetic and povidone-iodine as an antiseptic. An eyelid speculum (HOYA CORPORATION, Tokyo, Japan) was used to stabilize eyelids. The injection concentration of aflibercept (Eylea, Bayer Yakuhin Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) was 2 mg/0.05 mL, while that of ranibizumab (Lucentis; Novartis Pharma K. K., Tokyo, Japan) was 0.5 mg/0.05 mL. Finally, an OCT examination was performed 1 month after the injection.