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Eyes RVO Complications of RVO
Complications of RVO
Introduction to RVO

Complications of RVO

RVO can lead to other issues, beyond macula edema. These are known as complications of the condition.

Complications of RVO include:1,2

  • Abnormal blood vessel formation triggered by the raised VEGF levels seen in macular oedema
  • Bleeds in the eye results from the formation of abnormal blood vessels which are prone to leaking
  • Glaucoma caused by the raised pressure in the eye, damaging the optic nerve
  • Retinal detachment from tissues that support it, caused by the abnormal vessel growth
4 boxes labelled 1 to 4 with arrows between them. The first box has an image of a blood vessel with arrows pointing away from it and the caption “RVO causes fluid build up: The swelling seen in the eye in RVO makes VEGF levels rise.”. The second box has blood vessels branching and the caption “Blood vessel formation: VEGF triggers abnormal blood vessel formation.”. The third box has a broken blood vessel and the caption “Bleeds and retinal detachment: the new vessels rupture, leaking blood, and also make the retina detach.”. The last box has a cross section of an eye with pressure written inside and the text “Glaucoma: the pressure eventually damages the optic nerve.”.

References

  1. Cleveland Clinic. Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO) Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14206-retinal-vein-occlusion-rvo. Last accessed April 2025.
  2. NHS Foundation Trust. Retinal vein occlusion. Available at: https://www.yorkhospitals.nhs.uk/seecmsfile/?id=2333. Last accessed April 2025.