Time Course of Changes in Vision-Related Quality of Life following Intravitreal Ranibizumab Treatment for Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

Purpose: To assess the vision-related quality of life (VR-QOL) following intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) for branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and to evaluate subscale items of the VR-QOL. Methods: : In this prospective observational multicenter study, 38 patients who underwent IVR treatment for unilateral BRVO and 28 age-matched healthy subjects were chosen. The 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were examined before and at 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. Results: : The VFQ-25 composite score and BCVA significantly improved from 3 to 12 months after IVR treatment ( P < 0.05), such that there was no significant difference between the BRVO and control groups at 12 months. All subscales of the VFQ-25, except “general health,” significantly improved after treatment, while “near vision” and “mental health” were worse than those in healthy subjects ( P < 0.05). Patients with superior BRVO had a lower “near vision” score than healthy subjects after treatment ( P < 0.05). BCVA in the treated eye and fellow eye had no significant relationship with the VFQ-25 composite score before and after treatment. Conclusions: The VR-QOL of patients with BRVO improved with IVR treatment and was comparable to that of healthy subjects after 12 months. Superior BRVO particularly affected near vision for a low level.