Combination therapy for branch retinal vein occlusion

Abstract

Evaluation of: Hwang JC, Gelman SK, Fine HF, Chang S, Priore LVD. Combined arteriovenous sheathotomy and intraoperative intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for branch vein occlusion. Br. J. Ophthalmol. 94, 1483–1489 (2010).

There are many potential complications following branch retinal vein occlusion, ranging from hemorrhages to tractional retinal detachment; however, the complication that is the most important for the patient due to its frequency and deleterious effect on vision is macular edema. While many eyes improve spontaneously, it is impossible to predict which eyes will improve and how long it will take. Some form of treatment is therefore recommended to prevent certain complications and to improve the complications that have developed. Laser retinopexy is considered the standard of care; however, the authors’ chosen treatment of vitrectomy (with removal of the internal limiting membrane in half of the eyes), arteriovenous sheathotomy and intraoperative triamcinolone acetonide injection into the vitreous seems to offer additional improvement.

Keywords::

• arteriovenous sheathotomy
• branch vein occlusion
• internal limiting membrane
• triamcinolone acetonide
• vitrectomy

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.