Common diseases of the retinal blood vessels include diabetic retinopathy, branch retinal vein occlusion and central retinal vein occlusion. These conditions disrupt the blood supply to the retina and starve it of essential oxygen and nutrients. Patients will experience a deterioration in their vision, often quite suddenly.
Elevated blood sugar in diabetes damages small blood vessels in the eye causing them to narrow and eventually close altogether. A Retinal vein occlusion can occur as a result of hardening of the arteries and high blood pressure. It can also occur in some general illnesses such as blood disorders.
Diagnosis is usually made through a combination of clinical examination and OCT scan.
Treatment is often dependant on the severity of the disease at the time of diagnosis and the underlying cause. Current treatments include laser, intraocular injection of short acting drugs and injection of steroid pellets which are active inside the eye for up to four months.
- Intravitreal injections of Eylea or Lucentis
- Other steroidal medications which are injected into the eye in the form of a slowly dispersing pellet prolonging the effect of the drug. Generally, these drugs can last up to four months after a single injection.
- Laser treatment applies heat to the retina and is used for treating the effects of diabetes in the eye. It can also be used to treat fluid in the retina caused retinal vein occlusion.
