Retinal Vein Occlusion

A retinal vein occlusion occurs when a blockage develops in one of the veins carrying blood away from the retina. The two greatest risk factors are age and a history of high blood pressure. which can result in narrowing and hardening of arteries (arteriosclerosis) and consequent obstruction at a site where an artery crosses over a vein. Retinal vein occlusions come in two main varieties: central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) and branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Both can be complicated by leakage of fluid in the macula (i.e., macular edema), new blood vessel growth in the eye (i.e., neovascularization) and poor blood flow to the retinal tissue (i.e., ischemia) that can result in loss of vision. Treatment is with a combination of intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy, intravitreal steroid therapy, and/or laser photocoagulation.