Retinal vein occlusion (RVO)

What causes retinal vein occlusion and who is at risk?

RVO happens when you get a blockage in one of the veins that leads from the retina. It can happen in small veins (branch retinal vein occlusion) or the main vein (central retinal vein occlusion). Sometimes it’s not known what the cause is as it can happen in people with no risk factors.

The blockage can be caused by something called atherosclerosis. This is when fat, calcium, and other waste products from the blood build up into something called plaque. The blockage can also be caused by the formation of a blood clot.

The blockage in your vein stops blood draining from blood vessels in the retina. This causes them to leak into the retina, leading to swelling. This swelling damages the cells of the retina, which is what causes changes to your vision.

The condition usually affects people over the age of 653 and is related to high blood pressure. However, sometimes people with no known risk factors can develop RVO, and the cause is unknown.

RVO usually affects older people, so it’s rare to develop RVO if you are under 65 years old.

People with the highest risk usually have:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• Problems with blood clotting
• A high BMI (are overweight or obese)
• An unhealthy diet

Smoking also increases the risk of RVO because it damages blood vessels. If you smoke and want to quit, contact your GP for a referral to a stop smoking service or visit the NHS stop smoking page for more details.

How to recognise early symptoms of retinal vein occlusion

Symptoms people with a retinal vein occlusion first notice include:

• One eye having blurred vision
• A dark spot in vision
• Distortions (waviness) in their vision
• Problems with reading
• Difficulties in seeing detail

Symptoms can appear over a few hours or days. It’s different for everyone. If you have symptoms that appear quickly or very severely, you should go to A&E. Otherwise, you can visit an optician for help with vision changes.

How badly your vision will be affected depends on what type of retinal vein occlusion you have. A branch retinal vein occlusion affects a small vein behind the retina and so causes less severe symptoms than a central vein occlusion, which involves the main blood vessel.

About 20% of people with retinal vein occlusion will develop cracks in their retina. These cracks allow new blood vessels to grow through and then leak. This is called choroidal neovascularisation (CNV). 

When to seek help: symptoms that are an emergency

For some people, the blockage can cause serious damage to the retina, which results in the retina coming away from the eye. This is called retinal detachment and is a medical emergency. It can cause vision loss to become permanent if not treated quickly.

If any of the below symptoms appear suddenly or are severe you should go to your local A & E Department at the hospital. You could also contact your optician, even if the symptoms seem to improve temporarily.

• Get floaters (specks that float around your vision),
• See flashing lights
• See a dark spot in the centre of your vision
• Experience a shadow or curtain, usually moving across the sides of your vision

How retinal vein occlusion is diagnosed: tests and what to expect

If you have any of the above symptoms, arrange to see an optician. If symptoms have come on very quickly or are very severe, you should go to your nearest A&E at the hospital.

• Diagnosis of retinal vein occlusion may include the following tests:
• A general eye examination to look at your retina
• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) scan, which is a 3D scanning technique that looks at your eye in detail. It’s a painless imaging test that takes just seconds but gives your eye specialist a lot of information
• Fluorescein angiography – this involves an injection of dye into your arm. The dye floods the blood vessels in your eye, and these allow the eye specialist to find any blockages
• Blood tests and blood pressure check

Managing retinal vein occlusion: treatments, lifestyle changes, and support

Treatment for retinal vein occlusion focuses on sealing leaking blood vessels and reducing swelling in the eye. There are three treatments that can help:

• Anti-VEGF injections are given to try and reduce the amount of blood leaking from blood vessels. The injections are given into the white part of the eye and. They stop the growth of new blood vessels and slow the growth of ones that are already leaking
• Laser treatment to seal the leaking blood vessels. This is usually done alongside injections
• Steroid implants to reduce swelling in the eye caused by the leaking of the blood vessels

Injection treatment aims to stabilise or improve vision. About 45-55% of patients treated with anti-VEGF injections experience a significant improvement in vision. Steroid implants achieve a significant improvement in vision in up to 50%4 of patients. 20-30% of patients experience no improvement in vision following treatment.

Treatment side effects

Side effects are usually temporary, and serious side effects are rare. You might have:

• Temporary discomfort in your eye
• Eye redness
• Blurred vision that gets better over time
• Temporary floaters which will eventually go away

Observation or monitoring is an option for people who prefer not to have treatment. Branch retinal vein occlusions have a better chance of getting better on their own than central retinal vein occlusions.

Whatever treatment you have, you will need to be seen regularly for around two years to check that your treatment is working. You might need to have regular OCT scans to check that things are improving and monitor your eye for any areas of concern. Patients with CRVO may be reviewed every four to eight weeks for about six months, and then less frequently.

How to reduce your risk of retinal vein occlusion

If you have risk factors for getting a retinal vein occlusion, there are ways you can reduce the likelihood of getting one. These include

• Getting your eyes checked annually if you have diabetes
• Keeping your blood pressure under control
• Stopping smoking
• Controlling your blood sugar if you have diabetes
• Lowering your cholesterol

Living with retinal vein occlusion

As retinal vein occlusion symptoms can develop very quickly, it can feel very frightening. Getting the right treatment and good support can make a big difference.

When you first notice symptoms, you might find that you have difficulty judging distance and you misjudge your steps. People with RVO also often find they have problems with working out where objects are. The good news is that this often gets better as your brain adjusts to the vision in your affected eye. The eye with better sight will gradually take over and things become easier again.

Practical advice for daily life with an RVO

• Brighter lights can help you to read more easily – see our guide to redesigning lighting for more information
• Increase the size of text on phones, e-readers, tablets and computers
• Use low vision aids like magnifiers or screen readers
• Sit closer to the television

Take a look at our tips for around the home or our guide to going out when you have poor vision.

Driving with retinal vein occlusion

You must tell the DVLA if you have eye conditions that affect both eyes. As RVO tends to affect just one eye, you may still be able to drive. Your optician should be able to advise you if you can continue to use your car. They might advise you to wait until you have adapted to the changes to your eye before you get back behind the wheel.

Your mental health

Sudden changes to your vision might have a big impact on your quality of life. You may feel frightened that your vision might never get better or even get worse. These fears are normal, but they can often cause your mental health to suffer. Getting the right support is important to keep yourself well and stable.

If you’re experiencing difficulties with your mental health, speak to your GP. They can refer you to mental health services or perhaps give you medication to help you cope. The important thing to remember is that you are not alone. Speak to family and friends for support. Often sharing our fears can help us manage them better.

The Macular Society is also here to help you. We can provide free counselling, and we have a helpline on 0300 3030 111 that’s open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Our friendly, knowledgeable helpline advisors are skilled in working out what information you need. They’re also great at listening to any fears and helping people feel understood.

Current research and developments for retinal vein occlusion

Researchers are always working to understand retinal vein occlusion, diagnosis, and treatments. Recent research has focused on:

• New medicines to hopefully help improve symptoms for longer
• Treatments which would mean you need fewer injections
• Better diagnostic scans
• Looking for ways to protect the retina from damage caused by leaking blood vessels

Support & resources for people with retinal vein occlusion

The Macular Society is here for you. We provide many different services for people with macular conditions and their families. Whatever your worries or questions, we can help. Our advisors will listen, provide information, and can refer you to other places to get assistance.

Available support from the Macular Society:

• Our helpline on 0300 3030 111 which is open for calls 5 days a week (Mon-Fri) from 9am to 5pm
• Referrals to counselling services, if you are struggling with your mental health
• Befriending to help you find someone to talk to who can offer friendship and companionship
• Special guides on employment, driving, travelling, treatments and tips for managing around the home environment

FAQs about retinal vein occlusion

Does retinal vein occlusion happen to both eyes?

It usually only affects one eye but it can sometimes happen in both eyes.

What treatments are available for retinal vein occlusion?

Injections can help reduce swelling and laser treatments can seal the leaking blood vessels.

What other health problems are linked to retinal vein occlusion?

You might be more likely to get RVO if you have diabetes or high blood pressure.

Will I get retinal vein occlusion again?

It can come back or affect the other eye. You will be monitored after treatment to try and reduce the risk of that happening.

Will I go blind if I get RVO?

If RVO is not treated, you could have serious vision loss. Most people have good vision after treatment but it may not be as good as before you had RVO.

How long will I need to have treatment?

It can take several months for treatments to work. Your eye specialist will advise you on what to expect.

Last review date: 08 2026

Next review date: 08 2028