The outcome of intravitreal ranibizumab injection for branch retinal vein occlusion related macular edema

Abstract

Branch retinal vein occlusion related macular edema (BRVO-ME) is the leading cause of visual loss in patients with Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). In the current study, our aim was to investigate the outcome of intravitreal ranibizumab injection for BRVO-ME. The medical records of randomised thirteen eyes of thirteen patients (7 women and 6 men) with BRVO-ME were reviewed retrospectively. Three and 10 eyes had inferior temporal and superior temporal branch retinal vein occlusion-related macular edema, respectively. At the enrollment visit, all patients received a complete ophthalmic examination, including central subfield (CSF) thickness and average cube thickness measurements using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements. The median patient age was 53 years (range, 38-74). Of the patients, median CSF thickness was 453 mu (range, 221-907), median average cube thickness was 293 mu (range, 237-433), median BCVA was 0.30 logMAR unit (range, 0.05-1.00 logMAR unit), and median IOP scores was 18 mmHg (range, 15-25) at baseline. Compared with baseline, a statistical significance in median CSF thickness scores at week 1 (p= 0.015), months 1 (p= 0.015), 2 (p= 0.030), and 3 (p= 0.045) was noted. Compared with baseline, a statistical significance in median BCVA scores at months 2 (p= 0.045), 3 (p= 0.030), and 6 (p= 0.045) was noted. Compared with baseline, no statistical significance in median IOP scores and median average cube thickness scores at week 1, months 1, 2, 3, and 6 was noted (p> 0.05, for all). No statistical significance in median CSF thickness scores, median BCVA scores, median IOP scores, or median average cube thickness scores was noted between the other follow-up periods. No complication related to ranibizumab injections was detected during the follow-up period. The treatment method does not cause any increase in IOP score. Besides ranibizumab injection can cause a dramatic decrease in CSF thickness scores and a dramatic increase in BCVA scores as early as at week 1 postoperatively.