Short-term Effects of Intravitreal Bevacizumab Injection and Macular Edema Patterns in Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

PURPOSE: We attempt to distinguish the patterns of macular edema due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and to find correlations between the 24 hour short-term and three month long-term therapeutic effects of an intravitreal bevacizumab injection. METHODS: Forty-four eyes in 44 patients with macular edema due to BRVO underwent an intravitreal bevacizumab injection. Ophthalmoscopic examinations, fluorescein angiographic evaluations, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) examinations performed made before the injections, after 24 hours, and at one, two and three month follow-ups. OCT yielded three patterns of macular edema: diffuse macular edema, cystoid macular edema, and serous retinal detachment. RESULTS: Macular edema significantly improved 24 hours after the injections. The change in central macular thickness after 24 hours had a statistically significant correlation with the three month central macular thickness (Pearson correlation, r=0.757 p=0.011). Cystoid macular edema showed better improvement than the others after 24 hours, but no differences after three months. CONCLUSIONS: OCT treatment 24 hours after an intravitreal bevacizumab injection was found to be highly correlated to the long term prognosis. It is therefore useful in determining therapy and predicting the progress of macular edema in patients with BRVO.

Electroretinographic Findings in Patients with Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

To evaluate the electroretinographic findings in cases of branch retinal vein occlusion(BRVO), Electroretinogram(ERG) were performed according to ISCEV(International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision) protocol in 17 unilateral BRVO patients. According to fluorescein angiographic acute stage group, hemorrhagic area of fundus was evaluated from retinal photo obtained by fundus camera. And correlation between hemorrhagic area and ERG was evaluated In acute stage group, the b-wave amplitude and b/a ratio of scotopic maximal combined response and oscillatory potential were significantly decreased at the affected eye compared unaffected eye. These findings were not found in chronic stage group. The relationship between hemorrhagic area and ERG finding was not detected in acute stage group. ERG findings in the acute stage of BRVO show that main pathologic lesion of BRVO is located in the inner retinal layer and inner retinal circulation. With further follow-up study, It is possible to use ERG data as a predictor of the course of BRVO.

The Effect of Laser Treatment on Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

We did clinical analysis of 72 patients with branched retinal vein occlusion, who were diagnosed by indirect opthalmoscope and fluorescein angiography and treated with laser photocoagulatlon from Jan, 198l to May, l990. The results were as follows; 1. Final visual acuity has a Significant statistical correlation with macular edema in terma of 'quadrant area' 2. We were unable to demonstrate any statistical correlation between final visual acuity and the following factors: degree of nonperfusion, neovascularization type of laser photocoagulatlon, duration of symptoms before laser photocoagulation.