Retinal Vein Occlusion

Sometimes one of the blood vessels of the eye can become blocked. As you may know, arteries take blood away from the heart to the eye, whereas veins take blood away from the eye and back to the heart.

When the main vein draining blood from the eye, called the central retina vein, becomes blocked, blood backs up behind the blockage and leaks out into the tissue you see with, called the retina. This situation is like a blocked up bathtub drain in which water backs up and spills over the tub.

When a blockage occurs in a small vein of the eye or a branch vein, a branch vein occlusion can develop. In this situation, blood backs up in the part of the eye affected.

Depending on the medical health of the person, medical tests and evaluations may be necessary.

Both conditions require very careful eye follow up examinations because sometimes abnormal blood vessels can grow. These can cause vision loss or high eye pressure in the eye resulting in glaucoma or severe vision loss. Sometime laser treatment is indicated to try to get rid of these harmful vessels.

In the case of a branch vein occlusion, if, after a period of time, the body cannot remove all the swelling that resulted from the blocked vein, and the vision is still affected, a laser treatment might also be recommended.

All cases of blocked veins in the eye require appropriate follow up.

For more information or to schedule an appointment please contact us at 315-464-5252.