Retinal Vein Occlusion Specialist

Q: What is retinal vein occlusion?

Retinal vein occlusion is a blockage of the small veins that carry blood away from the retina. It can cause macular swelling, abnormal new blood vessel growth, and increased eye pressure, eventually leading to irreversible vision loss if untreated. It can occur in the main retinal vein (central retinal vein occlusion) or in smaller branch veins (branch retinal vein occlusion).

Q: What causes retinal vein occlusion?

Retinal vein occlusion is most often caused by atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which can press on and block nearby veins. Risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, and glaucoma.

Q: What are the symptoms of retinal vein occlusion?

Symptoms range from mild to severe and typically include painless vision loss or blurring, often in just one eye. Changes may start slight and worsen over hours or days, and some people experience sudden, complete vision loss.

Q: How is retinal vein occlusion treated?

While blocked retinal veins cannot be unblocked, underlying health problems can be treated, and vision can improve over a year or more. Treatments include injections to reduce macular fluid buildup, corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation, and laser therapy to discourage new abnormal blood vessel formation.

Retinal vein occlusion can lead to vision loss if not treated. At Advanced Retina, our doctors provide innovative care for this and other retinal problems. They offer services to patients in and around the Wisconsin area. If you’ve been diagnosed with retinal vein occlusion, call the office today to set up an appointment, or use our online form to request an appointment.

Retinal Vein Occlusion Q & A

What is retinal vein occlusion?

Retinal vein occlusion is diagnosed when you have blockage of the small veins that carry blood away from your retina, the part of your eye responsible for transmitting light to your brain to form images.

Conditions like retinal vein occlusion affect your ability to see. It can cause swelling of the macula, the part of your retina responsible for seeing fine details.

It can also cause your retina to develop new, abnormal blood vessels that cause you to see spots or floaters in your field of vision. These new blood vessels can cause a dangerous increase in the pressure inside your eye.

Eventually, complications of retinal vein occlusion can result in irreversible loss of vision.

Retinal vein occlusion can occur in the main retinal vein or in the smaller branch veins. Central retinal vein occlusion refers to a blockage in the main retinal vein.

What causes retinal vein occlusion?

Retinal vein occlusion is most often a result of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. These hardened arteries are thought to invade on nearby veins, causing the occlusion. Risk factors for retinal vein occlusion include:

Diabetes
High blood pressure
Glaucoma

What are the symptoms of retinal vein occlusion?

Retinal vein occlusion symptoms range from mild to severe.

You may have a painless loss of vision or blurring of eyesight. You might only notice it in one eye. At first, your vision changes may be slight, but they may worsen over the next few hours or days. Some people suddenly lose their vision entirely.

How is retinal vein occlusion treated?

There’s no way to unblock retinal veins, but you can treat underlying health problems contributing to your retinal vein occlusion.

Vision can improve in eyes with retinal vein occlusion, but it may take a year or more.

Treatment for the condition includes injections of specialized drugs to discourage fluid buildup in the macula. Injection of corticosteroids into the eye area can reduce inflammation. Focal laser therapy and pan-retinal photocoagulation therapy help reduce inflammation and discourage new blood vessel formation.

If you’ve been diagnosed with retinal vein occlusion, call Advanced Retina to set up an appointment today. Use this website to reach out with any questions.

What We Offer

Comprehensive Retina Care for Every Stage of Vision Health

Our clinic specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and surgical management of complex retinal conditions. We combine advanced technology with compassionate care to protect and restore your vision.