Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate the relationship between retinal sensitivity (RS), retinal thickness (RT), perfusion density (PD), and the effect of laser treatment over 1 year in patients with BRVO treated with intravitreal ranibizumab injection (IVR) or IVR with laser treatment.
Methods :
Patients with BRVO who received IVR at Shinshu University Hospital between 2017 and 2018 were assessed at baseline and 12 months after initial treatment. RS in 34 stimulus locations in the central 10° were assessed using microperimetry (Microperimeter MP-3; Nidek Co., Ltd., Gamagori, Japan). From these same RS locations, RT by optical coherence tomography (OCT) (PLEX Elite 9000; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc, Jena, Germany) and PD by OCT angiography were measured. In addition, the presence of superficial and deep hemorrhage in each region was evaluated. Focal laser (MC-500 Vixi; Nidek Co., Ltd.) was applied (multiple times if needed) to areas with residual edema after IVR. Relationship between application of laser treatment and changes in RS, RT, and PD were assessed.
Results :
Fourteen eyes of 14 patients (5 men and 9 women aged 72.0 ± 7.7 years, 7 IVR alone and 7 combination) were analyzed. At baseline, RS showed a significant negative correlation with RT (r = -0.68, p = 3.35e-71, Pearson’s correlation coefficient) and a positive correlation with PD (r = 0.72, p = 1.16e-42). RT and PD were negatively correlated (r = -0.64, p = 1.14e-40) with each other.
At 12 months, RS showed a significant positive correlation with RT and PD (RT: r = 0.56, p = 5.72e-36; PD: r = 0.60, p = 2.12e-46). PD and RT showed a positive correlation (r = 0.61, p = 2.49e-46) with each other.
Areas with superficial hemorrhage had significantly lower RS than those with deep hemorrhage at baseline and at 12 months (baseline: p = 0.0025; 12M: p = 0.0208, Mann Whitney test).
There was a significant improvement in RS at 12 months in the IVR monotherapy group (p < 0.0001, One-way ANOVA) but not in the combination group (p = 0.675). RS was significantly higher in the IVR monotherapy group than in the combination group at 12 months (p < 0.0001).
Conclusions :
In eyes with BRVO, regions with low PD at baseline had thicker retinas. Twelve months after initiation of therapy, RS improved in the IVR monotherapy arm but not in eyes requiring combination therapy. These findings may be of value in assessing prognosis in eyes with BRVO.
This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.