Another common eye disease in the elderly is macular edema caused by retinal vein occlusion (RVO), which occurs due to blockage of the retinal veins. The macula is the area of the retina responsible for the sharpest central vision. When swelling occurs, it leads to impaired vision.
Causes of Macular Edema from Retinal Vein Occlusion
The cause of macular edema from retinal vein occlusion is due to blood clots blocking the veins, which disrupts blood flow and causes leakage into the surrounding tissue. This leads to oxygen and nutrient deprivation. When swelling occurs in the macula, the most important area for vision, it results in blurred vision.
Types of Macular Edema from Retinal Vein Occlusion (Types of RVO)
- Central Retinal Vein Occlusion Patients experience sudden vision loss without pain or retinal hemorrhage. Severe occlusion may cause retinal ischemia and death of retinal nerve cells.
- Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion Patients experience sudden vision loss without pain in part of the visual field, with partial abnormalities and retinal hemorrhage around the blocked vein. Branch retinal vein occlusion causing macular edema is three times more common than central retinal vein occlusion.
Symptoms of Macular Edema (Symptom of RVO)
Patients may experience blurred vision, see dark spots in the central vision, or have color perception defects. Vision abnormalities caused by macular edema from RVO can affect daily activities such as reading, shopping, and driving. Most patients need regular medical follow-up for examination and treatment.
Risk Factors of Macular Edema from Retinal Vein Occlusion (Risk factors of RVO)
- Average age is usually over 50 years old
- Underlying diseases causing blood vessel wall hardening or narrowing, such as diabetes, hypertension, and high blood cholesterol
- Blood clotting disorders
- Other eye abnormalities such as glaucoma or high intraocular pressure
Treatment Options for Macular Edema from Retinal Vein Occlusion (Treatment options of RVO)
- Laser photocoagulation to apply heat to the retina to inhibit or slow abnormal blood vessels causing bleeding or leakage
- Injection of anti-angiogenic drugs into the vitreous to inhibit new blood vessel growth and leakage
- Use of corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce swelling and inflammation
Prevention of Macular Edema from Retinal Vein Occlusion
Patients or those at risk should quit smoking and exercise regularly to control or reduce blood pressure, and reduce fat intake, especially foods high in cholesterol. Elderly individuals should have regular health check-ups to detect any underlying diseases that are risk factors for this condition. Those with risk factors should receive treatment and control disease progression. This can reduce the risk and complications from macular edema caused by retinal vein occlusion.
