Retinal Vein OCCLUSION

Dr Nazari is a specialist ophthalmologist with extensive expertise in doing complex cataract surgeries and managing medical retina conditions.

He has performed thousands of cataract surgeries with a focus on refractive outcome of surgeries and using latest sophisticated intraocular lenses.

Below is the information about the clinics services. 

  If you have any further questions please contact us.

RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSION

Overview

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) occurs when one of the veins that carries blood away from the retina becomes blocked. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that allows us to see.

When a retinal vein becomes blocked, blood and fluid can leak into the retina, causing swelling and affecting vision. The condition commonly causes a sudden, painless reduction or change in vision in one eye.

Types of retinal vein occlusion

There are two main types:

Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion (BRVO)
This occurs when one of the smaller veins draining part of the retina becomes blocked. Because only part of the retina is involved, the effect on vision can vary considerably.

Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO)
This occurs when the main retinal vein becomes blocked. Because this vein drains blood from the entire retina, a central retinal vein occlusion can cause more significant visual loss.

What are the symptoms?

Retinal vein occlusion can cause:

  • Sudden blurred or reduced vision in one eye
  • A dim or cloudy area of vision
  • A blind or missing area within your vision
  • More significant loss of vision in some cases

The change in vision is typically painless.

What causes retinal vein occlusion?

A retinal vein becomes obstructed, often because of a blood clot. Several health and eye conditions are associated with an increased risk, including:

  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Diabetes
  • Glaucoma
  • Smoking

Some blood disorders can also increase the risk.

Managing these conditions is therefore an important part of care following a retinal vein occlusion.

How can retinal vein occlusion affect vision?

One important complication is macular oedema. This occurs when fluid leaks into the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for detailed vision. Macular swelling can interfere with activities such as reading and recognising faces.

Retinal vein occlusion can also cause the retina to produce abnormal new blood vessels. These vessels may bleed or contribute to increased pressure within the eye and glaucoma.

How is retinal vein occlusion treated?

Treatment depends on the type and severity of the retinal vein occlusion and whether complications such as macular swelling have developed.

While the blocked retinal vein itself generally cannot simply be reopened, treatment can be used to manage the effects of the blockage and reduce the risk of further complications.

Treatment may include injections into the eye, including anti-VEGF treatment, to reduce leakage and swelling in the macula. Steroid treatment may be appropriate in some cases, while laser treatment can be used to manage certain complications such as abnormal new blood vessel growth.

Regular monitoring is important so that changes or complications can be detected and treated when necessary.