Abstract: Objective To evaluate the changes in retrobulbar blood flow by using color Doppler sonography in patients who had undergone a single intravitreal ranibizumab injection for wet age-related macular degeneration(wAMD). Methods 20 wAMD patients(20 eyes)who had undergone intravitreal 0.5 mg ranibizumab injection were enrolled in this study. The ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery and ciliary artery of both eyes of patients were evaluated by color Doppler sonography. Peak systolic velocity(PSV), end-diastolic velocity(EDV), and resistance index(RI)and pulsatility index(PI)values were calculated before injection, and after injection on day 7 and day 30. The differences of ocular hemodynamic parameters were analysed at different time points. Results In a comparison with the pre-injection values of PSV, EDV, RI and PI, the post-injection values at both 1 and 4 week showed no statistically significant difference in ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery and lateral posterior ciliary artery. Similarly, all the same parameters revealed no statistically significant difference in the un-injected healthy fellow eyes. Conclusion Intravitreal ranibizumab injection for wAMD does not cause a significant difference in the retrobulbar blood flow in either the injected eye or the fellow eye.

Key words: Ranibizumab, Retrobulbar blood flow, Wet age-related macular degeneration