Purpose: To evaluate best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), incidence of neovascularization and angiographic changes in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) treated with surgical decompression by sheathotomy.
Methods: Retrospective study including 17 cases of temporal BRVO with macular edema treated with surgical decompression. Results of BCVA, incidence of neovascularization and vitreous hemorrhage 6 months following surgery are included. Angiographic changes in the first 8 cases a month after decompression are also evaluated.
Results: The mean postoperatory BCVA was 0.40 with a mean improvement of 0.26. Seventy one percent of patients (12/17) improved 2 or more visual acuity lines and 53% of patients (9/17) improved 4 or more lines. Only in one case the vision worsened. There was no evidence of retinal neovascularization or rubeosis iridis six months after surgery.
Conclusions: Surgical decompression is a therapeutical option for those patients suffering BRVO with macular edema. Our initial results are encouraging, not only regarding visual acuity improvement, but also because of a decreased risk of neovascularization. No patient included in our study developed neovascularization.