Follow up Results after Radial Optic Neurotomy for Central Retinal Vein Occlusion

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We evaluated the safety and efficacy of radial optic neurotomy (RON) in eyes with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). METHODS: We performed standard tri-port pars plana vitrectomy and RON in 7 eyes (7 patients) which were diagnosed with CRVO at Konyang University Hospital from December 2001 to November 2002. The eyes had best corrected visual acuities of less than 20/200 and revealed macular edema and hemorrhage on optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography. Visual acuity, fundus examination, fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography were performed both preoperatively and postoperatively in all cases. Visual fields were performed preoperatively and postoperatively in 2 eyes. RESULTS: No intraoperative complications occurred in any case except bleeding from incision sites, but we noted defects corresponding to the incision sites of RON on visual field tests in 2 eyes. In 6 of the 7 eyes, the findings improved on fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography. In 2 of the 6 eyes, the visual acuities improved to better than 20/30, but the other 4 eyes showed no improvement. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical decompression of CRVO via RON was a relatively safe procedure, and demonstrated the benefit of rapid reperfusion of retina. However, further studies are needed to establish the safety and long term efficacy of the surgery.