title: Long term visual outcome after arteriolar constriction in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) treated with either (1) laser arteriolar constriction (ACo) or (2) the standard treatment recommended by the Branch Vein Occlusion Study Group (grid laser photocoagulation (GLP) or only observation (if indication criteria for GLP were not met).
  
  
  METHODS
  358 BRVOs were treated in three different ways: early ACo (n=133) performed ≤9 weeks after onset of BRVO, late ACo (n=62) performed >9 weeks after onset and controls which included GLP and observation (n=163). The groups were further divided according to initial BCVA into: ≤0.1; 0.16-0.3 and ≥0.4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on the proportion of 1 year BCVA≤0.1 as a risk category, the results of early ACo (3.8%) were significantly better than for the controls (22.7%, P<0.001) and late ACo (16.1%, P=0.006). The greatest difference in final BCVA was in patients with the worst initial VA (≤0.1). In the intermediate initial BCVA group 0.16-0.3, a significant difference was only found between the early ACo group and controls (P=0.007). There was no significant difference between any treatment group and prevalence of a final BCVA≤0.1 for patients with an initial BCVA≥0.4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early ACo significantly reduces the prevalence of a final BCVA≤0.1 in patients with BRVO and an initial BCVA≤0.3 compared to controls (standard treatment treated with GLP or observed).
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Olomouc and Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rehak
authors.forename: Ladislav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dusek
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sin
authors.forename: Barbora
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Babkova
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pracharova
authors.forename: Matus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rehak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001160:Arterioles; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity