Purpose
Intravitreal ranibizumab has in recent years become standard of care treatment for macular edema in central retinal vein occlusion. While the treatment generally reduces macular edema and improves visual acuity, cases of increased retinal ischemia have been reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of intravitreal anti-VEGF on retinal oxygenation in patients with central retinal vein occlusion.
Methods
Patients with central retinal vein occlusion in one eye were included in a prospective single-group observational study. Included patients received treatment according to standard clinical procedure and were followed over a period of six month. All patients received three initial monthly injections of intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis, Novartis), followed by a three month follow-up period, during which injections were given as needed. At each visit, patients underwent examinations which included best corrected visual acuity, central macular thickness with SD-OCT and retinal oximetry.
Results
At baseline, retinal venous oxygen saturation was reduced in the affected eye, compared to fellow eye (35 ± 14% and to 57 ± 9%, respectively, mean ± SD, p = 3.1 x 10-5, paired t-test). Retinal venous oxygen saturation and BCVA increased and macular thickness decreases during ranibizumab treatment. No significant changes were found in retinal arterial saturation (Fig. 1).
Conclusions
Our results indicate that retinal venous saturation is increased during treatment with intravitreal ranibizumab and do not point towards increased retinal ischemia.
Keywords: 635 oxygen •
688 retina