PURPOSE: Our aim was to investigate predictive factors associated with efficacy and recurrence after intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) therapy for macular edema (ME) in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). METHODS: Fifty-two eyes of 52 patients who underwent IVB as a primary treatment against ME associated with BRVO were included retrospectively. Based on the postoperative central retinal thickness (CRT), the patients were classified into two groups: an effective group in which the CRT decreased to ≤250 µm within postoperative 3 months and an ineffective group in which the CRT remained >250 µm throughout the first 3 months. The effective group was then divided into two subgroups: a recurrent group in which ME had once resolved but recurred afterward, and a nonrecurrent group in which the resolution of ME was maintained throughout the follow-up period without additional injections. Preoperative factors such as age, gender, estimated elapsed time from disease onset to IVB, visual acuity, and CRT were compared between groups. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between effective (n = 37) and ineffective (n = 15) groups in all preoperative factors. Between recurrent (n = 26) and nonrecurrent (n = 11) groups, elapsed time was significantly different (29.7 ± 29.5 vs. 15.7 ± 8.9 weeks, respectively; P = 0.036), and there were no significant differences in the remaining factors. CONCLUSIONS: Early IVB treatment against BRVO may suppress ME recurrence.