Retinal venous occlusions (RVO) are a serious eye condition that can lead to significant vision loss. It occurs when a vein in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, becomes obstructed, preventing normal blood flow. This can cause a buildup of blood and fluid in the retina, damaging cells and resulting in vision problems.

Types of retinal vein occlusions:

There are two main types of RVO:

  • Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO): This type affects the central vein of the retina, the primary vein that drains blood from the entire eye.
  • Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO): This type affects one of the smaller branches of the central retinal vein.

Symptoms:

The symptoms of RVO can appear suddenly and can affect one or both eyes. The most common symptoms include:

  • Blurry or hazy vision
  • Loss of vision in a part of the visual field
  • Dark spots or blindness in a portion of vision
  • Eye pain
  • Eye redness

Causes:

The causes of RVO are not always clear; however, several factors may increase the risk of developing it, such as:

  • Hypertension
  • Diabetes
  • High cholesterol
  • Advanced age
  • Smoking
  • Certain blood disorders
  • Glaucoma

Diagnosis:

To make an accurate diagnosis of RVO, a comprehensive eye examination is conducted, including:

  • Retinal examination with pupil dilation: The doctor will dilate the pupils to examine the retina in detail.
  • Fluorescein angiography: A dye is injected into a vein in the arm, which travels to the retina. This dye allows the doctor to see blood flow in the retina and detect possible obstructions.
  • Optical coherence tomography (OCT): This non-invasive imaging test uses light to obtain detailed images of the retina and its layers.