Branch Retinal Vein and Central Retinal Vein Occlusion

The symptoms of retinal vein occlusion include central or peripheral loss of vision. A small branch retinal vein occlusion may be asymptomatic due to overlapping vision from the uninvolved eye. Pain is not associated with a retinal vein occlusion.

DIAGNOSIS
A retinal vein occlusion is diagnosed with a dilated exam of the retina by an ophthalmologist. The ophthalmologist may wish to study the retinal blood vessels with photographs or by using a test called fluorescein angiography. During this test, a dye is injected into the arm and quickly travels throughout the blood system. Once the dye reaches the blood vessels of the retina, a photograph is taken of the eye. The dye allows the ophthalmologist to detect blocked blood vessels as they leak into the retina.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is also used to measure the effects of occlusion on the macular whether it has collected fluid (edema) or not and to monitor treatment

Treatment

In a retinal vein occlusion, the blood vessels in the eye leak, causing swelling of the retina. In many cases, this swelling resolves without treatment. If the swelling does not improve, it can be treated with retinal laser, which has been shown to improve vision loss. Recently, ophthalmologists have also been injecting anti-leakage medicines into the eye. These medicines include steroids such as triamcinolone acetate and anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anit-VEGF) such as bevacizumab or ranibizumab. In recent clinical trials, these injections have been shown to reduce retinal swelling and improve vision loss.