Treatment Alternatives for Retinal Venous Obstruction: Combined Therapies and Pars Plana Vitrectomy

Abstract

Among retinal vascular diseases, retinal venous occlusion is relatively frequent and due to its complications, it moderately or severely affects vision. The therapeutic options applied in macular edema and tractional retinal detachments caused by venous occlusions are several. A review of the scientific literature was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of the combined use of different therapies including intravitreal antiangiogenics and steroids with or without laser application, as well as pars plana vitrectomy as treatment alternatives for the complications of retinal venous occlusive disease. Even when antiangiogenics are considered as first line of treatment in retinal venous occlusion, in several cases there is better response in their combinations and steroids with laser. To resolve tractional retinal detachment and vitreous hemorrhage due to venous occlusions, a pars plana vitrectomy operation is mostly required. A search was made in electronic databases such as PubMed, Cochrane and other publications related to treatment alternatives for retinal venous obstruction in recent years.