Glaucoma Progression in the Unaffected Fellow Eye of Glaucoma Patients Who Developed Unilateral Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion.

PURPOSE

To investigate glaucoma progression in eyes with glaucoma that developed unilateral branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) in the contralateral eye.

DESIGN

Retrospective, case-control study.

METHODS

Participants: Forty glaucoma patients with unilateral BRVO and 40 age- and baseline mean deviation (MD) of the visual field (VF)-matched glaucoma patients were evaluated during at least 4 years of follow-up.

OBSERVATION PROCEDURES

Glaucoma progression was defined as VF progression using the modified Anderson criteria of the MD of the VF. Kaplan-Meier life table analyses were performed to compare times to confirmed VF progression, and related risk factors were evaluated using the Cox proportional hazards model.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

VF progression.

RESULTS

Comparison of the baseline characteristics between the glaucomatous eyes that developed BRVO and the contralateral glaucomatous eyes that did not develop BRVO showed that BRVO occurred in the more advanced-stage eyes. Patients with glaucoma with BRVO in the fellow eyes had significant and frequent detection of disc hemorrhage (35.0%), which was 7.5% in patients with glaucoma without BRVO (P = .003). Four (10%) patients from the glaucoma group without BRVO and 22 (55.0%) patients from the glaucoma group with BRVO in the fellow eye showed progression according to the modified Anderson criteria (P < .001). Disc hemorrhage and the presence of BRVO in the fellow eye were found to be significantly predictive of VF progression using the Cox proportional hazards model.

CONCLUSIONS

More advanced glaucomatous eyes develop BRVO. Patients who developed BRVO showed more rapid glaucoma progression in the contralateral eyes without BRVO compared with glaucoma patients who did not develop BRVO.