Spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT) patterns in macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion

Abstract

AbstractPurpose To correlate spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT) characteristics of macular edema (ME) due to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) with mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).Methods Fifty patients (50 eyes) having macular edema due to CRVO or BRVO, were retrospectively reviewed Statistical analysis was used to evaluate the relative contribution of several variables, including SD‐OCT characteristics such as baseline central retinal thickness (CRT), central intraretinal cyst size, serous retinal detachment (SRD) size, photoreceptor inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) integrity and external limiting membrane (ELM) status with mean BCVA.Results Thirty three patients had BRVO (66%), 14 patients (28%) had CRVO and 3 patients (6%) had HVO. Mean CRT was 574,52 µm. There was a strong correlation between CRT and visual acuity (CCP=0,41 ; P=0,003). Cystoid macular edema was present in 46 eyes (92%) with central intraretinal cyst in 36 eyes (72%). Mean BCVA was statistically better in eyes without central intraretinal cyst (P=0,015) but there was not a significant difference depending of the cyst size (CCP=0,28 ; P=0,09). SRD occurred in 22 eyes (44%) and mean thickness of SRD was 237µm. Mean BCVA was statistically better in eyes without SRD (P<0,001) but there was not a significant difference depending of the cyst size (CCP=0,27 ; P=0,21). IS/OS line was disrupted in 17 eyes (34%) and absent in 21 eyes (42%). Eyes without IS/OS line showed worse BCVA (P<0,001).Mean BCAV was better when IS/OS line was intact (P<0,001). MLE was intact in 6 eyes (24%) over 25 patients. Mean BCAV was statistically better when MLE was not disrupted (P<0,001).Conclusion SD‐OCT is an important tool in macular edema evaluation. Our results suggest that baseline SD‐OCT characteristics, the status of photoreceptor IS/OS and ELM can be helpful in predicting the final visual outcome in patients with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion.