What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a retrospective study from July 2016 to September 2019 at a tertiary care center to assess the efficacy and safety of a standardized hyperbaric oxygen therapy protocol for patients with retinal artery occlusion.
What They Found
Twenty-eight patients with central or branch retinal artery occlusion were included, with 57% receiving treatment more than 12 hours after symptom onset. The mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) significantly improved from 1.5 logMAR at referral to 0.9 logMAR after hyperbaric oxygen therapy (p=0.001). High blood pressure and a low initial BCVA were identified as poor prognostic factors.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients experiencing retinal artery occlusion, hyperbaric oxygen therapy may offer a potential treatment to improve visual outcomes. While early intervention is often critical, this study suggests benefits even when treatment is initiated several days after symptom onset.
Canadian Relevance
This study was not conducted in Canada and therefore has no direct Canadian relevance.
Study Limitations
This was a retrospective study conducted at a single center, which may limit the generalizability of its findings.