How to Prevent Vision Loss from Retinal Vascular Occlusions

Vision loss affects millions across various age groups for a variety of reasons, leading to severe impairment or blindness. Retinal vascular occlusion is an eye condition that increases your risk of these issues, and here’s how to keep it from happening.

Dealing with vision problems makes managing the world around you more difficult, and it’s a struggle that affects 12 million Americans aged 40 and older. To make matters worse, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health estimates that 2,000 employees experience work-related eye injuries every day, and around 93 million people are at high risk of major problems with vision loss but have not sought medical help.

Many eye conditions can contribute to your risk of vision loss and are more treatable if caught early, including retinal vascular occlusion (RVO), an illness that can lead to blindness without proper diagnosis and treatment. If you have RVO, you can prevent the associated complications, and we’re here to help.

Residents of the Muncie, Indiana, area looking for help with eye problems like RVO can rely on Dr. Jeffrey Rapkin and his team at Retina Consultants of Muncie.

Facts about retinal vascular occlusions

An occlusion refers to a blockage. When it occurs in the retinal vein, it interrupts blood flow in a critical part of your eye. This blockage prevents blood from leaving the affected vein, leading to two types of retinal vein occlusion (RVO):

Central occlusion, which blocks the main retinal vein
Branch occlusion, which affects smaller veins

RVO is the second most prevalent retinal disorder worldwide, affecting over 16 million people, with diabetic retinopathy being the most common.

The blood flow issues associated with RVO are caused by blood clots, a slowdown in circulation, and compression where the retinal vein meets the retinal artery. The aging process and plaque buildup can cause your artery to swell, pressing against and damaging the vein.

Symptoms of RVO include blurred vision, vision loss, floaters, and eye pain or pressure, with more severe cases leading to greater visual impairment.

Complications that lead to vision loss

Vision problems can worsen if not treated, causing illnesses like:

Macular edema

Your macula is the center of the retina, and when damaged veins leak into it, it causes swelling, blurred vision, and further vision loss.

Vitreous hemorrhage

The majority of your eye is filled with a gel-like material known as your vitreous humor, and if the damage from RVO is bad enough, it can cause blood to leak into it and create shadows and floaters.

Neovascular glaucoma

This is the result of abnormal new blood vessels forming in the wrong parts of your eye, including the iris and anterior chamber. It causes pain, redness, and blurry vision.

Retinal detachment

Similar to problems with diabetic retinopathy, the abnormal vessels that can form are weaker and can lead to the retina detaching from the supporting tissue. This can also cause flashes of light in your vision, floaters, and darkening of both your peripheral and direct vision.

Ways to prevent vision loss

To reduce your risk of RVO and its complications, it’s important to manage factors like diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). You can improve your risk profile by eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding tobacco products.

If you’re showing signs of RVO, we provide an array of treatment options. Make an appointment with Dr. Rapkin and his staff at Retina Consultants of Muncie today.