Purpose: This study evaluates the retinal hemodynamics using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) before and after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy in patients with macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion (RVO).
Methods: Twelve patients (23 eyes; mean age, 64 years) were included (eight eyes with branch RVO, four with central RVO, and 11 unaffected fellow eyes. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) were measured before and 6 months after treatment. The foveal avascular zone (FAZ), nonperfused areas (NPAs), and flow area were evaluated with OCTA before and after treatment.
Results: The BCVA and CRT improved significantly after treatment. In eyes with RVO, the baseline FAZ in the retinal deep capillary layer was larger than in fellow eyes and enlarged in the retinal superficial and deep capillary layers after therapy; NPAs decreased after therapy, especially in the retinal deep capillary layer; and the baseline flow area was smaller than in fellow eyes and improved after therapy, especially in the retinal deep capillary layer.
Conclusions: Optical coherence tomography angiography can evaluate the retinal hemodynamics in patients with RVOs. Anti-VEGF therapy reduced the NPA size and improved retinal blood flow, especially in the retinal deep layer. The current results suggested that anti-VEGF therapy might improve retinal deep ischemia in patients with RVO in the retinal deep layer, which is abundant in capillaries.