title: Retinal microstructural changes in eyes with resolved branch retinal vein occlusion: an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess macular photoreceptor abnormalities in eyes with resolved branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) using adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AO-SLO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational cross-sectional case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  After complete resolution of macular edema and retinal hemorrhage, 21 eyes (21 patients) with BRVO underwent full ophthalmologic examination and imaging with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and a prototype AO-SLO system. Cone density and spatial mosaic organization were assessed using AO-SLO images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regular parafoveal cone mosaic patterns were clearly visualized with the prototype AO-SLO imaging system in the BRVO-unaffected side. However, in the side of the retina previously affected by the BRVO, cone mosaic patterns were disorganized and dark regions missing wave-guiding cones were apparent. Additionally, retinal capillaries were dilated, no longer had a uniform caliber, and had less direct paths through the retina. In the affected side, parafoveal cone density was significantly decreased, compared with the corresponding retinal area on the unaffected side (P < .001). Furthermore, the hexagonal Voronoi domain ratio and the nearest-neighbor distances were significantly lower than in the unaffected side (P < .05). These parameters were also correlated with photoreceptor layer integrity in the parafovea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After BRVO-associated retinal hemorrhage and macular edema resolved, affected parafoveal cone density decreases and the cone mosaic spatial arrangement is disrupted, becoming more irregular. These cone microstructural abnormalities may extend to parafovea in the BRVO-unaffected side.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Yumiko
authors: Y
authors: Akagi-Kurashige
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan. Electronic address: tujikawa@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors: Akitaka
authors: A
authors: Tsujikawa
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Sotaro
authors: S
authors: Ooto
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Yukiko
authors: Y
authors: Makiyama
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Yuki
authors: Y
authors: Muraoka
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Kyoko
authors: K
authors: Kumagai
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Akihito
authors: A
authors: Uji
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Shigeta
authors: S
authors: Arichika
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Tomoaki
authors: T
authors: Murakami
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Kazuaki
authors: K
authors: Miyamoto
authors: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Nagahisa
authors: N
authors: Yoshimura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy