title: Fundus changes in branch retinal vein occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate systematically the retinal changes in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and their natural history.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 214 consecutive patients with BRVO (144 major BRVO and 72 macular BRVO eyes) seen within 3 months of onset. Ophthalmic evaluation at initial and follow-up visits included recording visual acuity, visual fields, and detailed anterior segment and fundus examinations and fluorescein fundus angiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Initially, retinal hemorrhages were moderate to severe in the perifovea and macula in at least 65% in major and 52% in macular BRVO; at the fovea, it was 51% in major and 36% in macular BRVO. Initially, macular edema was more marked in major BRVO than in macular BRVO (P = 0.007). Major BRVO had a significantly higher rate of development of serous macular detachment (P = 0.002), epiretinal membrane (P = 0.008), serous retinal detachment (P = 0.002), perivenous sheathing (P < 0.0001), optic disk pallor (P < 0.0001), and lipid deposit (P < 0.0001) compared with macular BRVO. Retinal and disk neovascularization was seen only in major BRVO. The time to resolution of BRVO was significantly longer for major BRVO compared with macular BRVO (P = 0.0002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Major and macular BRVOs are two distinct clinical entities. Initial and final fundus findings in the two types differ markedly.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa; †Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors.forename: Sohan Singh
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hayreh
authors.forename: M Bridget
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis; D012169:Retinal Vein / Q000473:pathology*; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult