Abstrakt

Ranibizumab for the treatment of macular edema following retinal vein occlusion

Alex Yuan, Rishi Singh

Retinal vein occlusions (RVOs) are the second most common form of retinal vascular disease. The Beaver Dam Study estimated the 15 year cumulative incidence of RVOs at 2.3%. The predominant causes for vision loss from RVOs include macular edema and macular ischemia. Data from historic studies recommended focal macular laser only for branch vein occlusion patients with macular edema and >20/40 vision within 3–18 months of onset and without significant retinal hemorrhages. No treatment for macular edema was recommended for central vein occlusion patients. For years, the standard of care has been extrapolated from these historic studies. However, exciting new data from two multicenter randomized controlled studies using ranibizumab for the treatment of macular edema in vein occlusions have yielded impressive results, reshaping the management of RVO.