Cytokeratin 8 Level in Age-related Macular Degeneration

In this non-randomized, and open-label study, the investigators will prospectively evaluate 58 patients with treatment naive exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who receive intravitreal ranibizumab injection. A mean volume of 0.1 ml of aqueous humor samples will be taken each time an intravitreal injection is indicated and performed. Cytokeratin 8 level in aqueous humor will be evaluated, and associations of baseline cytokeratin 8 level and visual (the best corrected visual acuity change) and anatomical (optical coherence tomography parameters) after Ranibizumab injection will be investigated.

Inclusion criteria

• Treatment-naive neovascular AMD patients requiring intravitreal injection of Ranibizumab
• A recent onset of disease confirmed by history and clinical findings.
• Patient is required to be least 50 years of age

Exclusion criteria

• Myopia with a refractive error >-3.0 diopters or evidence of pathologic myopia (pre-operative refractive data were used to assess pseudophakic eyes)
• Any history of vitrectomy, anti-VEGF therapy, or photodynamic therapy (PDT)
• History of cataract surgery within 3 months prior to presentation
• Evidence of end-stage AMD such as subfoveal fibrosis or atrophy
• Evidence of other retinal diseases including central serous chorioretinopathy and other neovascularmaculopathies; glaucoma; poor imaging data caused by media opacity; or unstable fixation
• Patients with uncontrolled systemic diseases, use of immunosuppressive drugs, or malignant tumors of any location