Retinal Artery/Vein Occlusion (RAO)

Retinal Artery Occlusion

Overview

Retinal artery occlusion occurs when the artery delivering blood to the retina is blocked, or occluded.

Central retinal artery occlusio (CRAO) refers to the closure of the central retinal artery and usually results in complete loss of vision in one eye.

Occlusion of its branches (BRAO) causes loss of vision in only a portion of the field of vision in one eye. Any occlusion may also be known as a "stroke" in the eye.

Signs & Symptoms

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Central Retinal Artery Occlusion: Sudden, painless and complete loss of vision in one eye.

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Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion: Sudden, painless, partial loss of vision in one eye.

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Transient loss of vision prior to the artery occlusion (in some cases).

Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no treatment that can restore vision lost from an artery occlusion. The following conditions increase the risk of problems that may affect the vessels of the eye:

bullet High cholesterol
bullet Heart disease
bullet Arteriosclerosis
bullet Hypertension
bullet Diabetes
bullet Glaucoma

Retinal Vein Occlusion

Overview

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Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO) refers to the closure of the main vein that removes blood from the retina.

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 Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion (BRVO) refers to closure of a branch of the central vein.

When a vein is occluded, a backup of blood occurs, and the retina may become swollen with fluid. In many cases, laser photocoagulation may be recommended.

This is a view of the retina from the front. It is what the doctor sees when looking into your eye. The blue dotted line points to an artery / vein crossing point, where the vein may be blocked.

Treatment

Damage from an occlusion can not be reversed.  Swelling in the retina may be treated with laser photocoagulation, to decrease the fluid.