ACUTE RETINAL ISCHEMIA IN CENTRAL VERSUS BRANCH RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION

Purpose: To compare changes in thickness of separate retinal layers between acute central and branch retinal artery occlusion (RAO) regarding the severity grade of retinal ischemia using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Methods: Design : retrospective, observational case–control series. Setting: institutional. Patients: 114 patients with acute RAO. Examinations were conducted with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography at the first visit (baseline). Observations: RAO was categorized as branch (43 patients) or central RAO (71 patients) clinically. Retinal artery occlusion was categorized into the 3 grades “incomplete,” “subtotal,” and “total,” based on optical coherence tomography findings. Thickness of several retinal layers was evaluated on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography images. Obtained data were compared between the 3 grades and between central and branch RAO. The contralateral eyes were used as controls. Main outcome measures: thickness of selected retinal layers. Results: Thickness of selected inner retinal layers and central foveal thickness increased statistically significant according to the severity grade (healthy = incomplete < subtotal < total). In each severity grade, there was no significant difference in retinal layers' thickness between branch and central RAO, except for central foveal thickness. Conclusion: Thickness increase of selected retinal layers follows—except for central foveal thickness—the same pattern in central and branch RAO. Retinal layers' thickness increases significantly with the higher ischemia grade in both central and branch RAO.