ABSTRACT
Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) is the second most common cause of retinal vascular disease after diabetic retinopathy and is a significant source of visual morbidity in individuals older than 50. BRVO sequelae that directly affect the fovea and reduce visual acuity include chronic macular edema, foveal hemorrhage, and capillary nonperfusion. The surgical and control groups were statistically similar with respect to all demographic factors listed previously, including visual acuity, foveal hemorrhage, and foveal ischemia. This also held true for the observation group compared with the laser-treated group. Most occlusions are believed to occur at an arteriovenous (AV) crossing site, where the arteriole and venule share a common adventitial sheath. Surgical decompression using AV sheathotomy for BRVO is a technically feasible procedure that can result in improved visual acuity. AV crossing sheathotomy is a direct approach to re-establish reperfusion of the retina rather than treating the sequelae of venous occlusive disease by means of photocoagulation.
