Cystoid macular degeneration in experimental branch retinal vein occlusion.

PubMed ID: 3226685

Author(s): Wallow IH, Danis RP, Bindley C, Neider M. Cystoid macular degeneration in experimental branch retinal vein occlusion. Ophthalmology. 1988 Oct;95(10):1371-9. PMID 3226685

Journal: Ophthalmology, Volume 95, Issue 10, Oct 1988

Macular edema and collateral vessels were examined clinically and histopathologically up to 48 months after branch retinal vein occlusion in six eyes of five cynomolgus monkeys. In all six, central macular swelling and fluorescein leakage from the retinal vasculature were confined to the acute stage. However, histopathologically, at the chronic stage, only two maculas were completely recovered and unremarkable, whereas the other four showed variable degrees of cystoid degeneration and photoreceptor cell loss. In the two recovered maculas, six to eight normal-sized capillaries separated the fovea from the nearest cluster of capillary collaterals. In three maculas with cystic degeneration, collaterals incorporated the circumfoveal capillaries. In the fourth macula with cystic degeneration, collaterals were separated from the center by two normal-sized capillaries but were also associated with large areas of capillary nonperfusion partially due to occlusion of the macular arteriole.