TRANSPUPILLARY THERMOTHERAPY OF THE OPTIC NERVE DISK IN THE TREATMENT OF CENTRAL RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSION

Purpose: to make a pathogenetic basis and assessment of the clinical efficacy of transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) of the optic nerve disc in central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). Materials and methods: ophthalmological examination with in-depth study of regional hemodynamics, layered structure of the retina, its electrical sensitivity and neural conductivity in 15 patients with CRVO before and after TTT of the optic nerve disc. Results. After TTT of the optic nerve in patients with CRVO, immediately after treatment visual acuity increased twofold, the thickness of the retina significantly decreased in central and peripapillary regions and indices of high-speed blood flow of central retinal vein improved. In 3-6 months, retinal thickness, ERG indices and visual evoked potentials recovered practically to the level of the fellow eye. It was established that after the TTT of the optic nerve the perfusion in the blood vessels of the retina and optic nerve has improved, which was accompanied by a decrease in the height and the area of ischemic edema in the peripapillary area, improved conduction of impulses along nerve fibers. In contrast to conservative therapy and laser coagulation, after a single session of TTT of the optic nerve, visual function improvement occurred in 89 % of cases. Conclusions. TTT of the optic disc is a highly effective, pathogenetically proved and safe method of treatment purposefully influencing the regional hemodynamics, making possible to achieve positive structural and functional changes of the visual system in CRVO.