Persistent metamorphopsia associated with branch retinal vein occlusion

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Diseases
• Vision Science

Background:

• Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) is a common retinal vascular disease.
• Macular edema secondary to BRVO often leads to visual impairment and metamorphopsia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal changes in metamorphopsia in patients with BRVO.
• To assess the impact of intravitreal ranibizumab treatment on metamorphopsia over 12 months.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational case series included 32 eyes of 32 patients with BRVO and macular edema.
• Patients received intravitreal ranibizumab injections as needed for 12 months.
• Metamorphopsia was quantified using M-CHARTS, and retinal morphology was assessed via optical coherence tomography at baseline and at 1, 6, and 12 months.

Main Results:

• Visual acuity significantly improved from baseline (0.342 ± 0.304) to 12 months (0.118 ± 0.195; P < 0.001).
• The M-CHARTS score for metamorphopsia decreased significantly at 1 month (0.45 ± 0.50; P = 0.044) but showed no further significant improvement at 12 months (0.50 ± 0.44; P = 0.173).
• Complete resolution of metamorphopsia occurred in 13.6% of eyes. The 12-month M-CHARTS score correlated with baseline foveal thickness (r = 0.373) and baseline M-CHARTS score (r = 0.503).

Conclusions:

• Metamorphopsia often persists in BRVO patients despite improvements in visual acuity and retinal morphology.
• Baseline metamorphopsia severity is the primary predictor of metamorphopsia at 12 months post-treatment.
• Early and persistent metamorphopsia in BRVO warrants further investigation and management strategies.