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Retinal Blood Vessel Disease
The retina contains blood vessels, arteries and veins, which can be subject to a number of different conditions:Retinal vein occlusion (blockage of a vein) causes bleeding over the retina in that part usually drained by the vein, with loss of vision corresponding to the affected area. If it's the central vein, there is complete loss of vision. Vitreous haemorrhage (bleeding into the vitreous humour) presents initially with 'floaters' which progress rapidly to complete loss of vision. It may result from trauma - a blow to the eye - or leakage from new blood vessels produced as a complication of diabetic eye disease. Retinal artery occlusion can occur as a result of a clot forming in the retinal artery which supplies blood to the retina, or lodging there having come from elsewhere, or inflammation in the arterial wall (arteritis). There is profound loss of vision, which may be permanent. Amaurosis fugax is a term meaning 'fleeting blindness' where there is blindness affecting one eye, lasting minutes to hours. It is thought to be due to clumps of blood cells called platelets, which usually help our blood to clot, sticking together when they shouldn't and blocking blood vessels in the retina for a period of time before being dislodged. These conditions are more likely in patients with high blood pressure, and high cholesterol who are cigarette smokers. |
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