Retina Care

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is an eye problem that happens when a tiny blood vessel in the back of the eye gets blocked. The back of the eye has a special layer called the retina, which works like a movie screen, helping us see clear pictures of everything around us. Blood vessels called veins carry blood through the retina, and when one of those veins gets plugged up – kind of like a clogged drain – blood and fluid can spill out into the retina. This causes the retina to swell up and have trouble doing its job. When that happens, a person’s vision can change very suddenly.

There are two kinds of retinal vein occlusion. The first kind is called “central” retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), which is when the main vein in the retina gets blocked. Since it’s the biggest vein, this can affect a large part of a person’s vision. The second kind is called “branch” retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), which is when a smaller vein gets blocked. This kind only affects a smaller area of the retina, so the vision problem is usually not as bad. The “branch” type is actually the kind that happens more often.

When someone has a retinal vein occlusion, they might wake up one morning and notice that their vision in one eye looks blurry or wavy. Some people see a dark spot or a shadow covering part of what they can see. The strange thing about this condition is that it usually doesn’t hurt at all, which can make it really surprising when someone realizes something is wrong. It usually only happens in one eye at a time, not both. Because it can come on so fast, it can feel very scary for the person experiencing it.

Some people are more likely to get retinal vein occlusion than others. The biggest risk factor is high blood pressure, which can wear down and narrow blood vessels over time, making a blockage more likely to happen. Having diabetes, high cholesterol, or a condition called glaucoma can also raise a person’s chances of getting it. It happens most often in adults over 50 years old. Keeping the body healthy by eating well, exercising, and controlling blood pressure and blood sugar are some of the best ways to help protect the eyes from this condition.

Even though doctors cannot unblock the vein once it is closed, there are good treatments that can help protecta person’s remaining vision. The most common treatment is a special shot given into the eye that helps reduce swelling and stops new harmful blood vessels from growing. Somehe people also get a laser treatment that helps seal up leaking blood vessels inside the eye. The sooner someone sees a doctor after noticing vision changes, the better the chances of protecting their eyesight.

Drs. Aldred, McCanna and Rojas perform intravitreal injections at Ophthalmology Associates, SC for vein occlusions. Injections into the eye sound extreme, but we do a great job of numbing the eye to minimize discomfort. These injections are generally tolerated very well by patients.

If someone notices their vision getting blurry or wavy, it’s very important to reach out to us right away, because catching an RVO early can make a major difference in patient outcomes.