AIM: To observe the clinical efficacy of intravitreal injection of ranibizumab combined with retinal laser photocoagulation for macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion(BRVO).

METHODS: A total of 47 cases(47 eyes)of patients diagnosed of macular edema secondary to BRVO by fundus examination, fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA)and optical coherence tomography(OCT)were included who were admitted to our hospital from August 2013 to March 2016. All patients were divided into two groups randomly, 47 of them finished the follow up. observation group composed of 25 patients(25 eyes)who underwent ranibizumab injection and after 2wk they received retinal laser photocoagulation for blocking venous reflux area, and control group consisting of 22 cases(22 eyes)were given intravitreal injection of ranibizumab alone. The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), intraocular pressure(IOP), central macular retinal thickness(CMT)and the incidence of complications of patients from two groups were compared at the first month after the treatment.

RESULTS: Observation group and control group's BCVA and CMT were significantly different at 1mo after treatment compared with before treatment(P<0.01), but IOP were not different(P>0.05). The BCVA at 1mo after treatment were not different between the two groups(P>0.05), the CMT were significantly different(P<0.01).

CONCLUSION: The clinical effect of ranibizumab injection combined with laser photocoagulation for blocking venous reflux area has advantages when compared with ranibizumab injection alone in the treatment of branch retinal vein occlusion, and laser photocoagulation does not stimulate macula with higher security.