ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab and (or) triamcinolone combined with laser photocoagulation for macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) during one year period. MethodsThe data of 31 eyes from 31 consecutive patients with macular edema secondary to BRVO during one year follow-up visit were retrospectively analyzed. Mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) logMAR was (0.74±0.36) and mean central retinal thickness (CRT) was (484.48±164.81)μm at baseline. All patients received standardized clinical comprehensive examinations including vision, intraocular pressure and optical coherence tomography for diagnosis before treatment. All patients received intravitreal injections of 0.5 mg ranibizumab (0.05 ml) at first visit. The continue PRN treatment were based on the visual acuity changes and the optical coherence tomography findings. Eyes received combined triamcinolone acetonide 0.05 ml (40 mg/ml) and ranibizumab for macular edema recurrence after two injections of ranibizumab and received laser photocoagulation during 10-14 days after third injections of ranibizumab. Mean injection of ranibizumab was 3.52±2.01, 15 eyes with triamcinolone acetonide (0.84±1.21), 21 eyes with laser photocoagulation (0.97±0.95) and 12 eyes with three treatment. Compared the visual acuities and CRTs of the first and the last visits by statistical analysis. ResultsMean visual acuity improved significantly to 0.42±0.33 logMAR (t=6.611, P=0.000). Mean improvement of visual acuity was 2.90±3.07 lines. A gain of three or more logarithmic lines was evaluated in 20/31 eyes (64.52%) at the last visit. Mean CRT was (326.19±117.80)μm (t=4.514, P=0.000).Mean reduction of CRT was (333.58±134.17)μm. A decrease of 100μm of CRT was evaluated in 17/31 eyes (54.84%). No severe ocular and systematic side effect was found. ConclusionThe efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab and (or) triamcinolone combined with laser photocoagulation for macular edema secondary to BRVO were assured.
Objective To observe the angiographic features of patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) by ultra-wide-field fluorescein angiography (UWFA) and compare with the conventional 7 standard field (7SF) imaging. Methods This is a retrospective clinical description study. Fifty-eight eyes of 56 RVO patients were included. There were 25 males (26 eyes) and 31 females (32 eyes). The age ranged from 25 to 69 years, with a mean age of (48.12±18.56) years. The course of disease was from 2 days to 25 months, with a mean course of (12.78±11.35) months. Thirty eyes were diagnosed with central RVO (51.72%), 26 eyes were diagnosed with branch RVO (44.83%) and 2 eyes were diagnosed with hemicentral RVO (3.45%). Retinal laser photocoagulation was performed in 11 eyes (18.97%). All patients received examinations of UWFA (British Optomap 200Tx imaging system) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Using the protocol for obtaining 7SF images as described in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study, 7 circular regions with a range of 30 degrees were combined as the 7SF template to determine the observation area. This template was then overlaid on the UWFA image to identify the potential viewable area of 7SF. The visualized retinal area, retinal non-perfusion area, retinal neovascularization area, and laser spot area of UWFA and 7SF were quantified by a retinal specialist. In addition, the OCT images of the affected eye were observed and analyzed to confirm the existence of macular edema. Correlation analysis was done between retinal non-perfusion, retinal neovascularization and macular edema detected by UWFA. Results The results of UWFA and 7SF examination were the same. Compared with 7SF, UWFA showed 3.53 times more retinal visual area, 3.31 times more non-perfusion area, 1.94 times more neovascularization area, and 3.59 times more laser spots (t=72.13, 4.69, 1.76, 5.78;P=0.000, 0.005, 0.102, 0.000). Lesions of 11 eyes (18.97%) were found outside the range of 7SF images. By UWFA, non-perfusion area correlated with neovascularization and macular edema (χ2=12.13, 4.82;P=0.000, 0.028;C=0.42, 0.28). Non-perfusion area anterior to the equator have significantly correlations with macular edema (χ2=6.32,P=0.012,C=0.31), but non-perfusion posterior to the globe equator have no relevance with macular edema (χ2=2.88,P=0.090, C=0.22). Conclusions UWFA can detect more peripheral retinal lesions than 7SF images. By UWFA, non-perfusion area has correlation with neovascularization and macular edema.
ObjectiveTo observe the contrast sensitivity (CS) of patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) without involving the macular region. Methods92 BRVO patients (93 eyes) and 56 cases (112 eyes) without eye diseases (control group) were included in the study. According to different region, BRVO patients were divided into the nasal BRVO group (31 eyes) and temporal BRVO (62 eyes) group, and the average corrected visual acuity was 1.02±0.13 and 0.98±0.12 respectively. According to the type of ischemia, BRVO patients were divided into the nonischemic BRVO group (58 eyes) and ischemic BRVO group (35 eyes), the average corrected visual acuity was 1.01±0.14 and 0.99±0.12 respectively. The average corrected visual acuity of the control group was 1.03±0.11. There was no statistically significant difference of the average corrected visual acuity between nasal BRVO group, temporal BRVO group and control group (F=3.03, P=0.06), and between nonischemic BRVO group, ischemic BRVO group and control group (F=1.60,P=0.20). Contrast sensitivity (CS) was measured by OPTEC 6500 vision tester (Stereo Company, USA) under the standard lighting conditions and different spatial frequencies including low (1.5 and 3.0 c/d), medium (6.0 c/d) and high frequencies (12.0 and 18.0 c/d). ResultsThe CS under each spatial frequency of the nasal BRVO group was the same as the control group (t=4.25, 9.48, 3.08, 5.86, 0.94; P>0.05), but the CS under each spatial frequency of the temporal BRVO group was different from the control group (t=8.59, 19.11, 10.38, 17.28, 6.01; P<0.05). The CS under high spatial frequency of the temporal and nasal BRVO group was statistically different (t=11.42, 6.95; P<0.05). The CS under each spatial frequency of the ischemic BRVO group was different from the control group (t=8.88, 10.56, 11.64, 19.06, 6.67; P<0.05).The CS under 6, 12 and 18 c/d spatial frequency of the nonischemic BRVO group was statistically different with the control group (t=10.14, 11.54, 2.82; P<0.05). The CS under 12 and 18 c/d spatial frequency of the nonischemic BRVO group was statistically different with the ischemic BRVO (t=7.52, 3.84; P<0.05). ConclusionsThe CS of the temporal BRVO and ischemic BRVO decreased more significantly under each spatial frequency. CS is a better indicator to evaluate the visual function than the visual acuity in BRVO without involving the macular region.
ObjectiveTo observe the characteristics of optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography (OCTA) in retinal vein occlusion (RVO). MethodsProspective and observational study. Clinical examination of 81 consecutive patients (86 eyes) diagnosed with RVO were included in the study, in which the branch retinal vein occlusion in 47 eyes, central retinal vein occlusion in 39 eyes. Forty-five patients were male and 36 patients were female. Aged from 28 to 76 years old, the mean age was (55.36±10.01) years old. Comprehensive optical and imaging examination were performed, including fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), spectral domain OCT, en face OCT and OCTA. The retinal blood flow imaging scan mode and the optic disc blood flow imaging scan mode were performed, the scanning region in the macular area were 3 mm×3 mm, 6 mm×6 mm, 8 mm×8 mm respectively, around the optic disc were 3 mm×3 mm and 4.5 mm×4.5 mm. Each region scans 2 times. The characteristics of foveal avascular zone change, macular edema, non-perfusion and optical disc edema in OCTA and their corresponding FFA and en face OCT were observed. ResultsBy OCTA, 67 eyes (77.9%) for foveal avascular zone change, 23 eyes (26.7%) for macular edema, 40 eyes (46.5%) for non-perfusion, and 33 eyes (38.4%) for optical disc edema can be detected. The foveal avascular zone change can be indentified as the tranformation, destruction and even vanish of the arch in superfacial layer of retinal macular area, acompanied with the dilatation and thickening of capillary vessels, the occlusion and expanding of capillary vessels arounded the foveal avascular zone in the deep layer of macular area. Those performances were more clear than FFA. The main expression of macular edema was low signal and was not as clear as en face OCT. The tortuosity and expansion of retinal vessels, density decreasing and even occlusion or abnormal traffic branch of capillary vessels can be observed in non-perfusion. These observations were similar to FFA. However, pieces of highly signal identical with non-perfusion area can be detected in chroid capillary. The representation of optical disc edema was the brush-like expanding of capillary vessels aroud optical disc. ConclusionsOCTA can help for observing the abnormal changing of capillary vessels in foveal avascular zone and macular edema, non-perfusion and optical disc edema. Foveal avascular zone change showed occlusion and expanding of capillary vessels around the foveal avascular zone in the deep layer of macular area. Macular edema showed the weak signal. Non-perfusion showed tortuosity and expansion of retinal vessels, density decreasing and even occlusion or abnormal traffic branch of capillary vessels. Optical disc edema showed brush-like expanding of capillary vessels around optical disc.
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical features of collateral circulation in different types of retinal vein occlusion. MethodsA retrospective clinical study. A total of 360 patients with monocular retinal vein occlusion diagnosed by ophthalmic examination in Department of Ophthalmology of Yunnan University Affiliated Hospital from December 2021 to December 2023 were included in the study. Among them, 157 males had 157 eyes and 203 females had 203 eyes. Age were (61.0±5.9) years. The duration of the disease from the onset of symptoms to the time of treatment was 3 days to 6 months. Macular branch vein occlusion (MBRVO), retinal branch vein occlusion (BRVO) and central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) were observed in 67, 187 and 106 eyes, respectively. 210 eyes were with macular edema. All patients with macular edema were treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by intravitreal injection. All eyes were examined by scanning source optical coherence tomography. The incidence, location, morphological characteristics, formation time of retinal collateral circulation and the effect of anti-VEGF drug on the formation of collateral circulation were observed. A short circuit in which blood vessels originating from the optic disc in the form of a blood loop return to the optic disc after the disc has been deformed for some time is defined as a short-circuited collateral circulation of the ciliary vessels of the optic disc. ResultsAfter 1 week of disease course, MBRVO and collateral circulation of BRVO affected eye were established. By 1 to 2 months, a relatively abundant and stable collateral circulation had been established. In the course of 2 to 3 months, the short-circuit collateral circulation of ciliary vessels in the optic disc of the affected eye gradually formed. At 6 months, collateral circulation was established in 36 eyes (53.7%, 36/67) in 67 MBRVO patients. Collateral circulation was observed in 187 eyes of BRVO patients (100.0%, 187/187). In 106 eyes with CRVO, collateral circulation was established in 29 eyes (18.1%, 29/106). In 36 eyes with MBRVO, collateral circulation was established at the vertical horizontal slit between the blocked area and the non-blocked area. In 187 eyes of BRVO patients, collateral circulation was established in the vertical horizontal slit between the blocked and non-blocked areas in 102 eyes; 54 eyes were blocked the most central bypass to the collateral circulation on normal blood vessels. The collateral circulation of 19 eyes was established through nasal and temporal side. Collateral circulation through the fovea was established in 12 eyes. Its morphology is straight out of shape, spiral sinuous and flower cluster. CRVO established collateral circulation in 29 eyes, all of which had short-circuit collateral circulation of ciliary vessels. In 210 eyes treated with anti-VEGF drugs, collateral circulation was established in 160 eyes. Among them, 32 eyes were MBRVO (50.7%, 32/63), BRVO 119 eyes (100.0%, 119/119), CRVO 9 eyes (32.1%, 9/28). ConclusionsThe incidence of collateral circulation of MBRVO, BRVO and CRVO is 53.7%, 100.0% and 18.1%, respectively. The forms of MBRVO were varied and the course of disease is about 2 months. Anti-VEGF therapy did not inhibit the establishment of collateral circulation.
Objective To investigate the effects and complications of the vitrectomy for Eales′ disease with vitreous hemorrhage or traction retinal detachment. Methods Seventy-seven eyes of 69 cases undergoing vitrectomy for Eales′ disease with vitreous hemorrhage or traction retinal detachment were analyzed retrospectively. Results (1) The postoperative visual acuity was enhanced significantly. (2) Complications during the operation in 11 eyes (14.3%): iatrogenic retinal break in 7 eyes, bleeding in 3 eyes and lens damage in 1 eye. (3) Postoperative complications in 20 eyes (26.0%): rebleeding in 14 eyes, elevated IOP in 6 eyes, retinal detachment in 5 eyes, hyphema in 2 eyes, and exudative membrane in anterior chamber in 1 eye. (4) The main long-term complication was cataract formation (9 eyes) and macular disorder (6 eyes). Conclusion Vitrectomy is an effective method to treat Eales′ disease with vitreous hemorrhage or traction retinal detachment. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2002, 18: 215-217)
Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is one of the most common retinal vascular diseases causing blindness, macular edema (ME) is often secondary to it, which causes serious visual impairment to patients. Imaging biomarkers in the changes of retina and choroid of ME secondary to RVO (RVO-ME) have important clinical value in the evaluation of condition, curative effect and visual acuity prediction of patients with RVO-ME. Among them, the disorganization of the retinal inner layers, the integrity of external limiting membrane and ellipsoid zone, and the change of central macular thickness are reliable indexes to evaluate the prognosis of visual acuity; hyperreflective foci, subretinal fluid and intraretinal fluid can be used as important parameters to reflect the level of inflammation; prominent middle limiting membrane and paracentral acute middle maculopathy are the objective basis for judging the degree of retinal ischemia; the changes of choroidal vascular index and choroidal thickness also have potential advantages in evaluating the progress of the disease. Accurately grasp the characteristics of biological markers of RVO-ME related optical coherence tomography is conducive to its reasonable and accurate use in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of RVO-ME, and helpful to further explore the pathogenesis of the disease.
Objective To observe the effect of macular retinal thickness (CMT) on the long-term visual prognosis after intravitreal injection of Conbercept combined with retinal laser photocoagulation for macular edema (ME) secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Methods A retrospective non randomized controlled study. Forty-one patients (41 eyes) of ischemic BRVO secondary ME were included in the study. Among them, there were 23 males (23 eyes) and 18 females (18 eyes). The average age was (56.49±8.94) years. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomography were performed. The mean logMAR BCVA was 0.82±0.41, and the mean CMT was (512.61±185.32) μm. According to the CMT reduction value at 1 month after treatment, the eyes were divided into no response group and response group, each has 15 patients of 15 eyes and 26 patients of 26 eyes respectively. The age and sex composition of the two groups were not statistically significant (t=−0.298, −1.708; P=0.767, 0.096), and the difference of frequency of injection was statistically significant (t=3.589, P=0.010), and there was no statistical difference between the patients with logMAR BCVA and CMT (t=2.056, −1.876; P=0.460, 0.070). The average follow-up was 8 months. The logMAR BCVA on 6 months after treatment was defined as long term vision. The changes of long term vision and CMT on 1 and 6 months of two groups after treatment were observed. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the correlation between long-term vision and age, logMAR BCVA before treatment, CMT before treatment, frequency of injection, and CMT value decreased 1 month after treatment. The correlation of long-term visual acuity with age, sex, logMAR BCVA before treatment, CMT before treatment, number of drugs before treatment, CMT reduction at 1 month after treatment, integrity of ellipsoid band and integrity of external membrane (ELM) were analyzed by multiple regression analysis. Results On 1 month after treatment, the CMT of the eyes was lower than that before treatment (231.48±177.99) μm, and the average integrity of ELM and ellipsoid were 0.56±0.50 and 0.41±0.50 respectively. On 6 months after treatment, the average logMAR BVCA of the eyes was 0.48±0.34. The results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that the long-term vision was positively correlated with the logMAR BCVA before treatment and the number of CMT reduction and the number of drug injection at 1 month after treatment (P＜0.05); there was no correlation with age and CMT before treatment (P＞0.05). The results of multiple regression analysis showed that the long-term vision was associated with logMAR BVCA before treatment, CMT reduction, ELM integrity, and the number of times of injection (P＜0.05), and no correlation with age, sex, CMT before treatment and the integrity of the ellipsoid (P＞0.05). On the 6 months after treatment, the logMAR BCVA in the non-response group and the response group were 0.86±0.23 and 0.26±0.14, and the average CMT was respectively (398.93±104.87) and (255.15±55.18) μm, and the average injection times were respectively (2.53±1.46) and (1.31±0.74) times. The average logMAR BCVA, CMT and injection times of the two groups were statistically significant (t=10.293, 5.773, 3.589; P=0.000, 0.000, 0.001). No complications related to drug or intravitreal injection occurred in all patients. Conclusion The long-term vision of ME secondary to BRVO after intravitreal injection of Conbercept combined with retinal laser photocoagulation was associated with the decrease of CMT and the integrity of the ELM after 1 month of treatment, no correlation was found between CMT and ellipsoid integrity before treatment.
ObjectiveTo observe the changes of macular microvessels in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and macular edema (ME) after intravitreal injection of aflibercept (IVA), and analyze its correlation with best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).MethodsA retrospective case study. Thirty patients (30 eyes) with monocular RVO with ME (RVO-ME) who were diagnosed in the clinical examination of Tianjin Eye Hospital from April 2019 to February 2020 were included in the study. Among them, there were 12 males (12 eyes) and 18 females(18 eyes); the average age was 54.30±13.17 years. The average course of disease was 3.43±1.97 months. Both eyes were examined by BCVA and optical coherence tomography (OCTA). The on-demand injection was adopted after the first injection in IVA treatment regimen. The macular area 6 mm×6 mm in both eyes was scanned with an OCTA instrument, and the area of the foveal avascular area (FAZ), FAZ circumference (PERIM), and out-of-roundness were measured at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. Index (AI), blood flow density within 300 μm width of FAZ (FD-300), foveal retinal thickness (CMT), superficial retinal capillary plexus (SCP), deep retinal capillary plexus (DCP) blood flow density. The paired t test was used to compare the quantitative parameters of the affected eye and the contralateral healthy eye at baseline; the changes of the quantitative parameters at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment were analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between BCVA, retinal perfusion, and macular blood supply parameters at 6 months after IVA treatment.ResultsAt baseline, compared with the contralateral healthy eye, the FAZ area (t=−4.091), PERIM (t=−5.098) and AI (t=−9.093) of the RVO-ME eye were enlarged, and FD-300 (t=7.237) and overall SCP and DCP blood flow density (t=8.735, 9.897) decreased, the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.001). Six months after treatment, the BCVA of RVO-ME eyes was significantly increased, CMT decreased, FAZ area expanded, and AI decreased (t=8.566, 16.739, −6.469, 9.719; P＜0.001), the difference was statistically significant. There was no significant change in the blood flow density of FD-300 and overall SCP and DCP, and the difference was not statistically significant (t=1.017, 1.197, 0.987; P＞0.05). Compared with baseline, the FAZ area of RVO-ME eyes gradually expanded at 3 and 6 months after treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (F=21.979, P＜0.001). Correlation analysis results showed that BCVA at 6 months after treatment was positively correlated with the overall SCP and DCP blood flow density at baseline and 6 months after treatment (r=−0.538, −0.484, −0.879, −0.854; P＜0.05). There was a negative correlation with the area of FAZ 6 months after treatment (r=0.544, P=0.001). The number of ME recurrences was negatively correlated with BCVA and overall SCP and DCP blood flow density 6 months after treatment (r=0.604, −0.462, −0.528; P＜0.05), it was positively correlated with FAZ area (r=0.379, P=0.043).ConclusionWithin 6 months of IVA treatment in RVO-ME eyes, ME is significantly reduced and visual acuity is improved; SCP blood flow density decreases, and FAZ area expands.
Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a vascular disease characterized by intraretinal hemorrhage, edema and hard exudation, which is caused by increased retinal vein pressure. OCT angiography (OCTA) has been widely used in the diagnosis of retinal vascular diseases including RVO by virtue of non-invasive, high resolution and stratified display of superficial, deep retinal vessels and quantification of retinal vessel density and non-perfusion area size. OCTA can provide information of retinal microvascular structure and blood perfusion under the condition of disease, it also can be used to evaluate the effect of treatment and changes of retinal circulation during the course of disease follow-up. Although OCTA cannot replace fundus angiography completely, it has brought us more information about the pathogenesis, disease progression and prognostic factors of RVO. It is believed that with the progress of technology, OCTA will bring us a new chapter in the study of retinal vascular diseases including RVO.