FLUORESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY VERSUS ERG FOR PREDICTING THE PROGNOSIS IN CENTRAL RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSION

Purpose: It is not easy to predict which patients with a central retin al vein occlusion will develop rubeosis and which will not. We have co mpared two methods far doing so, flourescein angiography and full-fiel d electroretinogram (ERG). Bear aim was to improve our possibilities f or predicting rubeosis in patients with central vein occlusion. Method s: 32 patients with a central retinal vein occlusion with a duration o f less than 14 days were included in the study, Fluorescein angiograph y and ERG were performed in an patients, The fluorescein angiograms we re studied by two independent examiners in a masked mode. The patients were then followed for at least one year Results: Development of rube osis in patients with central retinal vein occlusion could be predicte d by fluorescein angiography in 82% of the patients and with ERG in 94 % of the patients, The non-ischemic central retinal vein occlusions we re identified in 62% by fluorescein angiography and in 100% with ERG, Fluorescein angiography misjudged 9 patients 28%, whereas ERG only mis judged 1 patient, 3%, Conclusion: ERG seems to be a better method for predicting the prognosis in central retinal vein occlusion than fluore scein angiography.