Potential roles of MNREAD acuity charts and contrast/glare sensitivity in Ranibizumab treatment of branch retinal vein occlusion

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To investigate the potential utility of MNREAD acuity charts and contrast/glare sensitivity (CGS) assessment for evaluating the efficacy of an initial treatment with ranibizumab (Lucentis®) for branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). METHODS: Intravitreal injections of ranibizumab were administered in 43 eyes of 43 treatment-naïve patients with BRVO. Efficacy was assessed 1 month later. Best-corrected far/near visual acuity (BCFVA/BCNVA), MNREAD parameters (reading acuity [RA], maximum reading speed [MRS], critical print size [CPS]), CGS (CS/GS), and central macular thickness (CMT) in optical coherence tomography (OCT) before and after treatment were evaluated. The area (superior/inferior) affected by BRVO was determined by fluorescein angiography. RESULTS: All parameters improved significantly following treatment (p < 0.05), and all MNREAD and CGS parameters were significantly correlated with BCVA in the treated eye before and after treatment (p < 0.01). The changes in BCFVA, BCNVA, MRS, and CS were significantly correlated with the amount of change in CMT (p < 0.007; r = 0.415, 0.528, -0.465, and -0.508, respectively). MRS exhibited a percentage change that was significantly correlated with that in CMT (p < 0.007; r = -0.511). Additionally, MRS exhibited the lowest threshold CMT (397 μm) at which the most significant change in improvement was observed. CMT was less likely to improve if BRVO occurred at a superior site than if it occurred at an inferior site (0.05 < p = 0.07 < 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: MNREAD and CGS testing were useful for evaluating BRVO treatment efficacy. MRS might be a valuable index for evaluating treatment success and making treatment decisions.