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B R A N C H R E T I N A L
V E I N O C C LU S I O N
( B R V O )
N I K H I L G O T M A R E @ e y e a m n i k h i l
Central retinal vein occlusion
(CRVO)
Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), Hemi-retinal vein
occlusion (HRVO)
Clinical features are present
in all quadrants of the fundus in
CRVO.
Clinical features are present
segmentally in BRVO
Clinical features are
present in either the
superior or inferior
two quadrants in
HRVO
•
Interruption of venous flow
usually occurs at lamina
cribrosa in case of CRVO
Interruption of venous flow usually occurs at
retinal arteriovenous intersection in case of
BRVO
Interruption of venous
flow usually occurs at
lamina cribrosa in
case of HRVO
Anterior segment
NVI > NVD > NVE
Location of neovascularization:
posterior pole
NVE > NVD > >NVI
Post pole > ant
segment
NVE > NVD >NVI
BRANCH RETINAL VEIN
OCCLUSION (BRVO)
• Common cause of retinal vascular disease, second only to DR,
4 times as common as CRVO
• First described by Leber
• One of the branches of main vein are blocked
– Superotemporal branch…66%
– Inferotemporal branch…22-43%
– Nasal branches…0.5-2.6%
– Macular branch…24%
PATHOGENESIS
-MULTIFACTORIAL
-THREE MECHANISMS MAY BE INVOLVED
Compression of
vein at
arteriovenous
(A/V) crossing
Degenerative
changes of
vessel wall
Abnormal
hematological
factors
ARTERIOVENOUS CROSSING
• Koyanagi first described association btw A/V crossing & BRVO
-Common adventitial sheath of retinal artery & vein provides settings for
occlusion
-Arteriosclerosis further aggravates the risk
• Zhao et al studied 106 eyes with BRVO…
-They found artery anterior to vein in 99% cases
-However, in approx 60% of normal…artery crosses anterior to vein
without causing BRVO
DEGENERATIVE CHANGES OF
VESSEL WALL
• Jefferies et al showed that…
The expected venous compression at A/V crossings doesn't exist, rather described–
Bending of vein into nerve fiber layer at this point without compression
• Histological findings of venous lumen at A/V crossing suggested thrombus formation as
to be a cause
• Seitz described– Alteration of venous endothelium & intima media as root of
pathogenesis of BRVO
ABNORMAL HEMATOLOGICAL
FACTORS
• Some suggest relation btw BRVO & hyper-viscosity of blood
• Others suggest dysregulation of thrombosis-fibrinolysis balance
HEMATOLOGICAL DISORDERS
• Resistance to activated protein C
• Protein C or protein S deficiency
• Deficiency of Antithrombin III
• Genetic mutation in the prothrombin gene
• Anti-phospholipid antibodies
• Hyper-homocysteinemia
• Lupus erythematosus
FUNDUS FINDINGS
Acute BRVO
• Dilated tortuous vein distal to occlusion
• Flame shaped hemorrhages respecting horizontal raphe
• Retinal edema
• Macular hemorrhage…macular BRVO
• Fluid leakage from distal vein
• Occasionally…subhyaloid hemorrhage
• Rarely…vitreous hemorrhage
• Cotton-wool spots…ischemia
Chronic BRVO
• Loss of retinal transparency
• Collaterals around area of occlusion
• Arteriolar narrowing & sclerosis
• Vascular sheathing
• Hard exudates
• CME & pigment clumps at macula
• NVD or NVE…in 36% eyes with nonperfusion > 5 DD
• Retinal detachment…rare
Exudative / Tractional / Rhegmatogenous
COMPLICATIONS
• Macular complications
– Chronic macular edema
– Macular nonperfusion
– Epiretinal membranes
– Small foveal hemorrhages
– Hard exudates
• Neovascularization & its sequel
– NVD & NVE
– Vitreous hemorrhage
– NVI & NVA
• Retinal detachments
– Rhegmatogenous
– Tractional
– Exudative
MANAGEMENT
OCULAR INVESTIGATIONS
• Fluorescein angiography
– Done with decreased vision despite hemorrhages have cleared…usually 3
months
– In late stages…staining & leakage of dye from vessel
– Macular edema & sensory detachment…dye leakage & pooling
– Capillary non-perfusion…hypofluorescence
– Collaterals & new vessels can be differentiated
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT )
– Measure retinal thickness quantitatively
– Useful in the follow-up of patients with macular edema secondary to BRVO
D/D of intra-retinal
hemmorhages :
- DR
- CRVO
- CNVM
- Retinitis
- Vasculitis
D/D of Macular
edema:
- CRVO
- ruptured
microaneurysm
- Radiation
Retinopathy
- Hypertensive
retinopathy
- Subfoveal Choroidal
Neovascularisation
D/D of VH:
- Vitritis
- Amylodosis
- Lymphoma
- Astroid Hyalosis
- Vitreous
degeneration
- Leukemic vitreous
infiltration
OCULAR TREATMENT
Various modalities available for management of BRVO include:
ď‚· Laser photocoagulation
ď‚· Intravitreal & periocular
steroids
ď‚· Intravitreal anti-VEGF
ď‚· Surgical management of
macular edema
ď‚· Systemic interventions
CERTAIN CLINICAL TRIALS
NEED ATTENTION
• BVOS
• SCORE
• GENEVA
• RELATE
• BERVOLT
• BRIGHTER
• VIBRANT
CONVENTIONAL LASER (GRID
LASER PHOTOCOAGULATION):
The underlying principle of laser treatment is destruction of oxygen consuming
photoreceptor cells causing
(a) decreased oxygen consumption by outer retina allows oxygen to diffuse from
the choroid to the inner retina, where it raises the oxygen tension and relieves
hypoxia.
(b)This also causes autoregulatory arteriolar constriction, which due to the law of
Laplace, decreases hydrostatic pressure of venules, hence causing decreased
edema by Starling’s rule.
• Despite the established efficacy of grid laser photocoagulation, it carries
the risk of anatomical and functional chorioretinal damage.
Subthreshold Diode Micropulse Laser:
The fundamental concept of SDM laser is based on the attempt to
minimize laser damage to the neurosensory retina by reducing the
duration of laser exposure and by using a subvisible clinical end point.
Title BVOS (1984) The Branch Vein Occlusion Study
Purpose Scatter argon photocoagulation
for prevention of NV and vitreous haemorrhage and improving visual acuity in eyes
with macular edema reducing vision to 20/40 or worse
No. of pateints 539
Inclusion criteria Major BRVO without NV
Major BRVO with NV
BRVO with macular edema and reduced vision
Outcome measure Visual acuity and development of NV or vitreous hemorrhage
Result/
conclusion
Scatter argon photocoagulation prevents the development of NV and vitreous
hemorrhage but should be applied after the development of NV.
Argon laser improved visual outcome in eyes with BRVO and visual acuity reduced
from macular edema to 6/12 or worse.
APPLICATION OF STEROIDS:
• It is postulated that intravitreal steroids can inhibit the arachidonic acid
pathway and down-regulate the production of VEGF
. Intravitreal triamcinolone also stabilizes the blood-retina barrier and reduces
macular edema.
Title SCORE (2004) Standard Care vs. COrticosteroid for REtinal Vein Occlusion
Purpose Standard care vs intravitreal injection(s) of Triamcinolone Acetonide for macular
edema of CRVO and BRVO
No. of pateints 682
Inclusion criteria Centre-involving macular edema secondary to either CRVO or BRVO,
<24 month old, VA≥19 letters & ≤73 letters,
retinal thickness > 250 microns in the central subfield
Outcome measure Improvement by 15 or more letters from baseline in best-corrected
ETDRS visual acuity score at the 12-month visit
Result/
conclusion
Intravitreal triamcinolone is superior to observation for treating vision
loss associated with macular edema secondary to CRVO but not in BRVO.
1-mg dose has a safety profile superior to that of the 4-mg dose
GENEVA STUDY
THE GLOBAL EVALUATION OF IMPLANTABLE DEXAMETHASONE IN
RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSION WITH MACULAR EDEMA
• evaluated the safety and efficacy of an intravitreal implant that
delivers sustained levels of dexamethasone (OzurdexTM).
• The study demonstrated that this slow-release device helped achieve a
>15 letter improvement in BCVA in a significantly less time than sham
and also in more percentage of patients compared to sham.
• The quantum of improvement was also better in the implants group.
• The major side effects associated with implants are IOP spikes and cataract
progression.
INTRAVITREAL ANTI-VEGF
AGENTS
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Interleukin-6 play major roles in the
pathogenesis of macular edema in BRVO.
• Upregulation of VEGF has a correlation with the severity of macular edema.
Title BRAVO (2007) The RanibizumaB Injection in Patients with
Macular Edema Secondary to BRAnch Retinal Vein Occlusion
Purpose Intravitreal Ranibizumab vs sham injections(placebo)
in patients with macular edema due to BRVO
No. of pateints 397
Inclusion
criteria
Macular edema involving foveal center due to BRVO,
CFT ≥ 250 μm on OCT and
BCVA of 20/40 to 20/400.
Outcome
measure
Mean change in BCVA letter score at month 6 from Baseline
Result/
conclusion
Ranibizumab provided rapid and effective treatment for
macular edema following BRVO with low rates of ocular and non-
ocular safety events (good safety)
THE BERVOLT STUDY
• a retrospective study, looked at the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab in
macular edema due to BRVO and CRVO.
• concluded that the overall mean change in BCVA in the BRVO group
treated with bevacizumab 1.25mg was 0.25 logMAR (13 letters) with no
significant adverse events.
THE RELATE TRIAL
Ranibizumab DosE Comparison (0.5 mg and 2.0 mg) and the Role of LAser in the
ManagemenT of REtinal Vein Occlusion
• was done
(a) to compare 0.5 mg with 2.0 mg ranibizumab.
(b)to determine whether scatter and grid laser photocoagulation adds
benefit to ranibizumab injections in patients with macular edema from
retinal vein occlusion (RVO)
• The trial enrolled patients with CRVO and BRVO.
• Conclusions : (a)no short-term clinically significant benefit from monthly
injections of 2.0 mg versus 0.5 mg ranibizumab injections and
(b) no long-term benefit in BCVA, resolution of edema, or number
of ranibizumab injections obtained by addition of laser treatment
to ranibizumab.
THE BRIGHTER TRIAL
• was done to compare
the 6-month efficacy and safety profile of
ranibizumab 0.5 mg with or without laser versus
laser alone in patients with macular edema secondary to BRVO
• concluding that ranibizumab alone provides superior results compared to
laser alone.
THE VIBRANT TRIAL
• was undertaken to compare the efficacy of Aflibercept with grid laser in
cases of BRVO.
• After 6 monthly intravitreal injections (2mg), injections every 8 weeks
maintained control of macular edema and visual benefits through week 52
Aflibercept has been evaluated in patients with CRVO
(COPERNICUS and GALILEO trials) and has been
shown to be effective with an acceptable safety profile.
OTHER TREATMENTS
Surgical treatment
• Arteriovenous Crossing Sheathotomy and
• Vitrectomy
Systemic treatment
Medical treatment is not effective. Various methods used…
• Anticoagulants
• Fibrinolytic agents
• Clofibrate capsules (atromid-s)
• Carbogen inhalation
• Hemodilution
CASE SCENARIOS
• Condition 1 : Patient having BRVO with no macular edema or
neovascularization.
FFA shows <5DD of capillary nonperfusion .
Rx; Follow up.
• Condition 2: Patient having macular edema but no neovascularization.
FFA shows <5DD of capillary nonperfusion.
Rx: Determine the cause of macular edema by fluorescein angiography.
• If leaking capillaries: but the vision is 6/9 or better, observation
If the vision is worse than 6/12 or hampers patients activities, Anti-VEGF
injection can be given.
In chronic cases or in recalcitrant edema steroid in the form of Triamcinolone
(SCORE trial) or dexamethasone (GENEVA trial) can be given.
In cases of macular Ischemia, only observation can be done and the macular
edema usually resolves within one year with gain of visual acuity..
• Condition 3 : Patient having BRVO with no macular edema or
neovascularization.
FFA shows >5DD of capillary nonperfusion.
Rx: more stringent follow-up, as the chances of developing neovascularization
are more
• Condition 4: Patient having BRVO with no macular edema but with
neovascularization present, either NVE or NVD.
Rx: sectoral retinal photocoagulation
• Condition 5: Patient having BRVO with macular edema and
neovascularization.
Rx: Determine the cause of macular edema as to ischemia or leakage.
Laser of peripheral capillary nonperfusion areas.
prior to that an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection may be considered to reduce
macular edema in cases of leaking capillaries
OCT should be done to document macular edema.
BVOS----- SCORE -----BRAVO
GALILEO
COPERNICUS
BERVOLT
BRIGHTER
VIBRANT
GENEVA-----------RELATE