The effect of intravitral bevacizumab injection on central macular thickness and visual acuity postoperative first month in the treatment of macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion

Purpose : To evaluate the effect of intravitreal bevacizumab injection on central macular thickness and visual acuity in the treatment of macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion.Method : In this retrospective study, the patients with the diagnosis of branch retinal vein occlusion who referred to Retina Department of Sakarya Training and Research Hospital were investigated. 32 patients who underwent intravitreal bevacizumab (Altuzan®) injection for macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion were studied. All patients received 0.125 mg / 0.05 ml intravitreal bevacizumab injection. LogMAR values of best corrected visual acuity and measures of central macular thickness of all patients were compared between preinjection and postinjection values.Results : The mean of time interval between the diagnosis and the injection was 3.3±3.4 months (the earliest 1 week, most lately 13 months). Mean central macular thickness of patients before the injection was 467.032±136.781 µm and mean central macular thickness of patients after the injection was 290±61.817 µm. Mean decrease in central macular thickness after the injection was 177.032±133.285 µm. The decrease of central macular thickness after the injection was statistically significant. (p value <0.0001) The mean logMAR best corrected visual acuity before the injection was 0.863±0.431. The mean logMAR best corrected visual acuity after the injection was 0.403±0.355. Mean decrease of logMAR after the injection was 0.460±0.345. The best corrected visual acuity increment after the injection was statistically significant. (p value <0.0001)Conclusion : Intravitreal bevacizumab injection for the treatment of macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion seems effective on central macular thickness and best corrected visual acuity in short-term.Key words : Best corrected visual acuity, bevacizumab, central macular thickness, macular edema