Understanding Retinal Vein Occlusions
Retinal veins carry blood away from the eye so fresh blood can be brought in via the retinal arteries. When a retinal vein is blocked (occluded), pressure builds up in the veins and results in leakage of blood and fluid into the surrounding retina. This leakage causes retinal swelling and damage, and if the central fixation point of the retina (macula) is affected, visual impairment occurs.
A scan of the macula showing severe swelling due to the vein occlusion. This should be treated early to prevent permanent loss of vision.
Severe retinal vein occlusion with macular swelling.Causes
Symptoms
Types of Retinal Vein Occlusions
Treatment Options
Intravitreal Injection Therapy: If the occlusion has led to swelling of the macula (macular edema), intravitreal injection therapy is recommended to reduce the swelling and limit damage to the central fixation point of the eye. This involves the injection of medications into the eye using a very tiny needle.
Anti-VEGF medications (Lucentis, Eylea, and the newest medication Vabysmo) and sustained-release steroids (Ozurdex) have been shown in clinical studies to deliver good results. Intravitreal injections are done as outpatient or day surgery procedures.
Laser Therapy: In some cases, laser therapy may be needed to treat areas that are severely damaged. The purpose of laser therapy in these cases is to reduce the risk of complications like more severe bleeding and glaucoma. Laser therapy is done as an outpatient or day surgery procedure.
Drugs are delivered directly into the eye for maximum effect.FAQs about Retinal Vein Occlusions
Having a CRVO or BRVO is often an indication of the unhealthy state of the cardiovascular system. Therefore in some cases, another vein occlusion may happen in the same eye, the other eye, or even elsewhere in the body.
Most patients have other disorders like poorly controlled high blood pressure, diabetes or “high cholesterol” levels and these may have caused widespread abnormalities in blood vessels throughout the body. Diagnosing these risk factors is an important part of management for retinal vascular occlusions.