Relationship between metamorphopsia and foveal microstructure in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion and...

We aimed to investigate the relationship between the severity of metamorphopsia and the foveal microstructure measured with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in patients with cystoid macular edema caused by branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO-CME).

The study included 30 eyes of 30 patients with BRVO-CME. We examined visual acuity and the severity of metamorphopsia using M-CHARTS. Central foveal thickness, central retinal thickness at the fovea (CRT-1 mm), and macular volume were measured with SD-OCT software. The status of ellipsoid zone (EZ), external limiting membrane (ELM), outer retinal cyst, and inner retinal cyst was also evaluated.

The mean metamorphopsia score was 0.77 ± 0.50, with 28 of 30 patients (93 %) having metamorphopsia (metamorphopsia score ≥ 0.2). The vertical metamorphopsia score (0.89 ± 0.54) was significantly higher than the horizontal metamorphopsia score (0.64 ± 0.53) (p < 0.005). The status of EZ and ELM was significantly associated with visual acuity, but not with the mean metamorphopsia score. The mean metamorphopsia score was significantly related to CRT-1 mm (p < 0.05) and the presence of inner retinal cyst (p < 0.05).

The severity of metamorphopsia was significantly associated with central retinal thickness and the presence of inner retinal cyst.