[Retinal Vascular Occlusion: Modern Therapeutic Approaches]

Abstract

Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) should be evaluated as an emergency and can be seen as an ocular analogue to the cerebral apoplex. Both have the same arteriosclerotic risk factors, which are also responsible for cardiac, circulatory and cerebrovascular diseases. That is why an intensive interdisciplinary clarification is necessary to recognize possible comorbidities in time and, if necessary, to treat them. The current therapeutic possibilities of an acute RAO are very limited in their efficiency regarding visual improvement. Methods for systemic lysis cannot be recommended in routine care because of their significantly increased side-effect profile. However, there is a limited window of time of up to 6 hours after the onset of symptoms in which an intervention appears to be useful at all. On the other hand, the new therapeutic possibilities of retinal vein occlusions (RVO) led to marked visual improvements, especially due to the intravitreal application of anti-VEGF. Safety and efficiency of the individual anti-VEGF drugs are comparable according to clinical trials. Alternatively, the use of intravitreal steroids can be considered, whereby the side-effect profile should be carefully weighed. In the presence of retinal ischaemia, peripheral laser coagulation can have a stabilizing effect on visual acuity and prevents neovascularization. It is postulated that the combination of anti-VEGF and laser therapy might have a symbiotic effect.