Clinical and functional efficiency assessment of complex treatment of macular edema caused by retinal vein occlusion

Purpose: to evaluate the effectiveness of combined ranibizumab and sulodexide use in treatment of macular edema (ME) cause by retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Material and Methods. During the study, we examined 40 patients with ME cause by RVO, not exceeding 1.5 months ago. All patients underwent standard ophthalmological examination, optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT angiography and electrophysiological studies. To evaluate the effectiveness of the combined use of ranibizumab and sulodexide, all patients were divided into two groups. In patients of the first group (n=21), the first intravitreal injection of ranibizumab was supplemented with a course of sulodexide. Patients of the second group (n=19) did not receive sulodexide. Results. The degree of improvement in eye functions in patients of the first group, who received sulodexide in complex treatment, is due to the best level of restoration of the retinal microcirculation in the macula due to increase in the capillary network density in the superficial and deep capillary plexus in the retina by more than 1.2 times and decrease foveal avascular zone area in 1.5 times in comparison with the initial state. Conclusion. The results of the study showed the high efficiency of the combined use of ranibizumab and sulodexide in the treatment of ME cause by RVO and allow to recommend their use to improve hemomicrocirculation in the macular retina and enhance visual functions.