Purpose: To investigate whether targeted retinal photocoagulation (TRP) of peripheral non-perfused areas (NPAs) could prevent the recurrence of macular oedema (ME) due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) after intravitreal bevacizumab injection (IVB).
Methods: Eyes received 1.25 mg IVB only (IVB group) or combined with TRP (IVB + TRP group) of NPAs, more than 5 disc areas identified by fluorescein angiography in the patients with ME secondary to BRVO. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) determined by optical coherence tomography were measured every month for 6 months.
Results: Thirty-eight patients were enrolled and randomized to IVB group (n = 19) and IVB + TRP group (n = 19). Both groups showed similar thinning in CRT at 1 week after IVB, IVB + TRP group maintained thinner retina at 2 (p = 0.0072) and 3 (p = 0.0086) months compared with IVB group in whom turned to thickened almost back to baseline at 3 months. The number of reinjections in IVB group (1.58 ± 0.69) was significantly greater (p = 0.0025) than that in IVB + TRP group (0.83 ± 0.62). BCVA significantly improved at 6 month in IVB + TRP group (p = 0.015), but not in IVB group.
Conclusion: TRP of NPAs reduced the amount of ME recurrence following IVB compared to IVB alone.
Keywords: best-corrected visual acuity; bevacizumab; branch retinal vein occlusion; central retinal thickness; fluorescein angiography; macular oedema; non-perfused areas; photocoagulation; vascular endothelial growth factor.
© 2015 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.