Bietti crystalline dystrophy complicated by choroidal neovascularization treated with a single dose of aflibercept

Abstract

Bietti crystalline dystrophy is a rare hereditary autosomal recessive disease that causes photoreceptor loss secondary to degeneration of retinal pigment epithelium due to intracellular retinal pigment epithelial crystalline deposits and abnormal lipid metabolism. We aimed to present a case of choroidal neovascular membrane secondary to Bietti crystalline dystrophy diagnosed with multimodal imaging and treated with an intravitreal injection of aflibercept. A single dose of aflibercept injection might be effective due to its higher affinity for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in comparison with other anti-VEGFs. It might be a treatment alternative that can be considered in the choroidal neovascular membrane due to uncommon etiologies.

Keywords

• aflibercept
• bietti crystalline dystrophy
• choroidal neovascularization
• optical coherence tomography
• retinal degenerations