Direct photocoagulation to leakage points to treat chronic macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion: a pilot study

Figures & data

Table 1 Direct photocoagulation to treat macular edema associated with BRVO: patient demographics

Sex, number (%)
Men	7 (43.8%)
Women	9 (56.3%)
Average age (years ± standard deviation) (range)	72.0±6.3 (60–87)
Site of vascular occlusion (%)
Lower quartile	10 (47.6%)
Upper quartile	11 (52.4%)
Mean follow-up period from the first direct PC (months ± standard deviation) (range)	20.3±8.0 months (range, 9–32)
Mean number of applications of direct PC (number ± standard deviation) (range)	0.3±0.6 (range, 0–2)
Number of eyes with additional procedure after direct photocoagulation (%)
Sub-Tenon injection of triamcinolone	4 (25.0%)
Intravitreal injection of bevacizumab	1 (6.3%)
Scatter laser photocoagulation for nonperfused areas	1 (6.3%)

Abbreviations: BRVO, branch retinal vein occlusion; PC, photocoagulation.

Figure 1 Reduction in the central foveal thickness (CFT) after direct photocoagulation.

Notes: (A) The line graph shows the changes in the CFT 3 months and 6 months after direct photocoagulation. *P<0.01 by one-way analysis of variance and the Tukey’s test. (B) The bar graph shows a comparison of the baseline and final CFTs. *P<0.01, by the paired t-test.

Table 2 Visual outcomes after direct photocoagulation for chronic macular edema associated with BRVO

	Mean BCVA	SD	P-value
Baseline	0.39	0.28
3 months	0.31	0.23	0.016*
6 months	0.24	0.22	0.0024**
Final	0.20	0.23	0.0011**

Notes:

* P<0.05

** P<0.01, by the paired t-test compared with the baseline.

Abbreviations: BRVO, branch retinal vein occlusion; BCVA, best-corrected visual acuity; SD, standard deviation.

Figure 2 Images of the left eye of a 68-year-old woman with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

Notes: A fundus photograph (top), optical coherence tomography (OCT) image (middle), and fluorescein angiography (FA) image (bottom) were obtained at baseline (A, C, E) and 3 months (B, D, F) after direct photocoagulation. (D) OCT shows decreased macular edema after direct photocoagulation compared to the baseline (C). FA shows decreased microaneurysms and leakage after direct photocoagulation. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved from 40/200 to 60/200.