Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment for Macular Edema in Eyes with Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion with vs Without Glaucoma – Does Glaucoma Affect Visual Outcome in Eyes with BRVO-ME After antiVEGF Injections?

PURPOSE: To compare the therapeutic effects of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents in eyes with macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO-ME) with glaucoma to those without glaucoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted using the medical records of Mie University Hospital from 2013 to 2017. Patients were recruited if they had received anti-VEGF agents for BRVO-ME treatment and included 30 patients (30 eyes) without glaucoma (G[-] group) and 27 patients (27 eyes) with glaucoma (G[+] group). The central retinal thickness (CRT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 3 months after a single injection of anti-VEGF agents were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Before treatment, the mean±standard deviation of the CRT was 514.2±117.3 μm for the G[-] group, which was not significantly different from that for the G[+] group (533.4±171.4 μm). The CRT in the G[-] and G[+] groups significantly reduced to 321.1±114.6 μm and 347.8±134.7 μm, respectively, at 1 month after the injection and to 360.4±159.5 μm and 352.4±151.9 μm, respectively, at 3 months after the injection (P<0.01 for each group). The difference in the degree of CRT reduction between the two groups was not significant. Before treatment, the BCVA was 0.42±0.32 logMAR units in the G[-] group and 0.57±0.33 logMAR units in the G[+] group, showing no significant difference. The BCVA in the G[-] and G[+] groups improved significantly to 0.27±0.26 logMAR units and 0.34±0.42 logMAR units, respectively, at 1 month, and to 0.18±0.20 logMAR units and 0.39±0.34 logMAR units, respectively, at 3 months (P<0.01). The BCVA in the G[-] group was significantly better than that in the G[+] group at 3 months (P=0.02). CONCLUSION: The therapeutic response of anti-VEGF agents for BRVO-ME is affected by the presence of glaucoma.