Comparison of Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant and Intravitreal Ranibizumab Efficacy in Younger Patients with Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of dexamethasone (DEX) implants and ranibizumab (RAN) injections in younger patients with macular edema due to branch retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in a 6-month follow-up. Methods: The treatment-naive patients with macular edema secondary to branch RVO were included retrospectively. Medical records of patients who were treated with intravitreal RAN or DEX implant were evaluated before and at the 1st, 3rd, and 6th months after the injection. Primary outcome measures were the change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness. The level of statistical significance was set at 0.05/3=0.016, according to the Bonferroni correction. Results: Thirty-nine eyes of 39 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the study population was 53.82±5.08 years. Median BCVA in the DEX group (n=23) at baseline, 1st, 3rd, and 6th month was 1.1, 0.80 (p=0.002), 0.70 (p=0.003), and 1 (p=0.018) logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (log-MAR), respectively (p<0.05). Median BCVA in the RAN group (n=16) at baseline, 1st, 3rd, and 6th months was 0.90, 0.61, 0.52, and 0.46 logMAR, respectively (p<0.016 for all comparisons). Median central macular thickness (CMT) in the DEX group at baseline, 1st, 3rd, and 6th months was 515, 260, 248, and 367 µm, respectively (p<0.016 for all comparisons). Median CMT in the RAN group at baseline, 1st, 3rd, and 6th months was 432.5 (p<0.016), 275 (p<0.016), 246 (p<0.016), and 338 (p=0.148) µm. Conclusion: There is no significant difference in treatment efficacies in both visual and anatomical outcomes at the end of the 6th month. However, RAN can be considered the first choice in younger patients with macular edema secondary to branch RVO because of the lower side effect profile.

The effect of the smoking on choroidal thickness, central macular vascular and optic disc perfusion.

OBJECTIVES: To compare choroidal thickness, central macular vascular perfusion and optic disc perfusion in smokers and non-smokers. METHODS: Smoker participants defined group I and non-smoker participants(group II) Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) performed to all volunteers and choroidal thickness, central macular vascular and optic disc perfusion were measured. RESULTS: In group I, 30 eyes of the 30 participants (6 male and 24 female) evaluated and in group II, 32 eyes of the 32 participants (13 male and 19 female) evaluated. The mean age of the volunteers were 43.09 ±â€¯14.28 and 42.2 ±â€¯8.24 year-old in group I and group II, respectively. The mean choroidal thickness were 345 ±â€¯74 µm and 301.6 ±â€¯71 µm in group I and group II, respectively (p = 0.022). The mean optic disc perfusions were 45.17 ±â€¯1.46% and 45.25 ±â€¯1.43% in group I and group II, respectively (p = 0.82). The mean central macular vascular perfusions were 20.20 ±â€¯7.17% and 18.65 ±â€¯7.46% in group I and group II, respectively (p = 0.4). There are a negative correlation between macular vascular perfusion, optic disc perfusion and smoking period (p = 0.32 and 0.62, respectively.) CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that smoking statistically significantly effected choroidal thickness but effected central macular vascular and optic disc perfusion changes were not statistically significant.