INTRAVITREAL RANIBIZUMAB FOR THE TREATMENT OF MACULAR EDEMA SECONDARY TO MALIGNANT HYPERTENSION

Our purpose is to report a clinical case of bilateral macular edema caused by malignant hypertension in a 35-year old male. Patient presented with bilateral low visual acuity, massive macular edema, retinal hemorrhages and papilledema. Soon after he was diagnosed with other target-organ lesions, on heart and kidneys. After  months of controlled blood pressure, an increase in visual acuity and a small decrease of macular edema, we effectively treated the lower vision eye with two intravitreal ranibizumab 0,5 mg injections, improving anatomy and function on both eyes. Even though we only treated one eye with ranibizumab, the contralateral eye also improved visual acuity and central macular thickness. This probably happened due to systemic absorption of ranibizumab. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of ranibizumab use in macular edema due to malignant hypertension.