[Long-term clinical outcome of radial optic neurotomy].

PURPOSE: To study the long-term clinical outcome through assessment of anatomical and functional results, as well as complications of eyes affected with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) that underwent radial optic neurotomy (RON).

METHODS

Retrospective, observational and descriptive study of 47 eyes corresponding to 47 patients affected by CRVO. All the eyes underwent RON performed by the same surgeon since 2002. The main assessed variables were visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP), presence of iris neovascularization and opticocilliary veins, vascular recanalization and complications derived from this pathological entity.

RESULTS

Surgery was performed in 47 eyes, 21 of them (44.7%) were right sided and 26 left sided (55.3%). Mean age was 58.97 years. Mean post-surgical follow-up was 32.15 months. A total of 70.2% of the patients experienced stabilization or VA improvement, 23.4% iridian neovascularisation and 42.6% developed opticocilliary veins in the head of the optical nerve.

CONCLUSIONS

It is noticeable that in selected cases, RON produces a quick resolution of the retinal haemorrhage and papillary congestion and may improve the retinal perfusion. Long-term benefits are stabilization or improvement of the VA and a reduction in complications on the natural history in CRVO.