Treatment of retinal artery occlusion with adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen

Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) is an ophthalmological emergency that causes a major decrease of visual parameters in most of the cases. Purpose of thi s pilot study was to evaluate the effect of adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen th erapy (HBO) on visual acuity (VA). Patients and Methods. Patients with acute central or branch artery occlusio n (CRAO/BRAO) consecutively admitted to our hospital were offered adjunctiv e HBO. Standard therapy consisted of ocular massage for 3 minutes,paracente sis and intravenous acetazolamide. HBO (3x30 minutes at 240 kPa) was applie d t.i.d, on the first day, b.i.d.on day 2 and 3 and o.d. for at least anoth er 4 days. Patients who refused HBO or had contraindications served as cont rols. VA was measured according to the guidelines of ETDRS. The follow up w as 3 months. Results. HBO:8 patients with CRAO showed a mean increase in VA of 1 line, 4 of 8 patients had an increase of 2 lines and more, in 3 of 8 patients VA w as unchanged and one patient suffered a decrease of 6 lines. 10 patients wi th BRAO showed a mean increase in VA of 8 lines, 8 of 10 patients showed an mean increase of 2 and more lines, in 2 of 10 patients VA was unchanged. C ontrols: 8 Patients with CRAO had a mean increase of 2 lines during follow up, 3 of 8 patients showed an increase of 2 lines and more, in 5 of 8 patie nts VA was unchanged,6 patients with BRAO had a mean increase of VA of 4 li nes, 3 of 6 patients had an increase of 2 lines and more, one patient lost 3 lines and in 2 patients VA was unchanged. The results are compared. to th e literature. Conclusions. HBO seems to be beneficial for VA in eyes with BRAO. Further i nvestigations are necessary to prove this observation.