Treatment for Vein Occlusions

Mr. Shantanu Gudsoorkar, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Taunton, UK / Patient Resources / Ophthalmology / Ophthalmology Procedures / Treatment for Vein Occlusions

Treatment for Vein Occlusions includes:

Lucentis

Retinal vein occlusion can lead to fluid buildup and swelling of the macula, a condition known as macular oedema. LUCENTIS (ranibizumab injection) is a prescription medicine injected into the eye for the treatment of macular oedema following retinal vein occlusion. A patient with macular oedema can have increased amounts of a protein called VEGF-A, which can lead to leakage of small blood vessels in the affected eye. LUCENTIS blocks this protein and has been found to significantly improve the vision of the affected eye.

Ozurdex

Another treatment option for macular oedema is Ozurdex. OZURDEX implant is a small rod-shaped implant containing the prescription medicine dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, which is injected into the eye (vitreous) in your doctor's office. The vitreous gel present in the eye slowly dissolves the biodegradable implant releasing the medication. OZURDEX blocks the leakage of the blood vessels present in the retina and reduces swelling or inflammation in your affected eye.

Macular Laser

Macular laser is an outpatient procedure used to treat macular oedema caused by retinal vein occlusion. During a laser procedure, a beam of the laser is directed onto the part of the retina where the abnormal blood vessels are growing. Small burns are created on the abnormal blood vessels which prevent further growth of these blood vessels and lead to a decrease in the level of fluid buildup in the macula.

PRP

Panretinal photo-coagulation (PRP) is a procedure used to prevent the growth of abnormal blood vessels and glaucoma (damage to optic nerve) in patients with retinal vein occlusion. During PRP, your surgeon will create small burns on your retina to destroy abnormal and leaking blood vessels. Also called scatter laser photo-coagulation, PRP is an out-patient procedure, usually performed under local or topical anaesthesia, which numbs only your eye. The procedure usually takes between 30 to 45 minutes per session; however, you may require up to 3 or 4 different sessions with a total of 1000-2000 laser spots (applications). Panretinal photo-coagulation can help prevent further worsening of your vision. However, regular comprehensive eye checkups are very important to keep the condition under control.

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