What Is Retinal Vein Occlusion?

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) occurs when a retinal vein—a blood vessel that carries blood away from the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye—becomes blocked. This can cause blood to leak into the retina, leading to vision loss.

There are two main types of RVO:

1. Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO): This type of RVO affects the main retinal vein.

2. Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO): This type of RVO affects one of the smaller retinal veins.

Risk factors

The risk of RVO increases with age, and it is also more common in people with certain medical conditions, such as:

- Diabetes

- High blood pressure

- Heart disease

- Glaucoma

- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

- Smoking

- Obesity

Symptoms:

RVO can cause a variety of symptoms, depending on the severity of the blockage. These may include:

- Blurred vision

- Floaters (dark spots or lines that float in your vision)

- Sudden vision loss

- Eye pain

- Redness in the eye

Treatment

There is no cure for RVO, but treatment can help to improve vision and prevent further damage to the eye. Treatment options may include:

- Laser surgery

- Anti-VEGF injections

- Steroid injections

- Surgery

Outlook:

The prognosis for RVO depends on the severity of the blockage and the timeliness of treatment. With early treatment, most people with RVO can retain good vision.