Early Detection of Retinal Vascular Occlusions: Why Regular Eye Exams Matter

Vision impairment affects millions, including nearly 52 million adults over 18 who report difficulty seeing things correctly. Almost 4 million have trouble even with glasses, and over 300,000 are unable to see at all. Numbers also indicate that nearly 7% of children deal with sight issues, and around 3% have severe problems or are blind.

Eye diseases like retinal vein occlusion (RVO) threaten your vision, and preventing this condition from damaging your eyes requires regular eye check-ups, which can make all the difference. To find out why, we need to explore more about this illness, its effects on your eyes, and the role routine exams play in managing the symptoms.

Diseases like RVO are just one of many eye diseases Dr. Jeffrey Rapkin and the dedicated staff at Retina Consultants of Muncie treat to protect your vision if you live in the Muncie, Indiana, area.

Facts about retinal vascular occlusion

Your retinal vascular system is vital for essential functions like nourishing this part of your eye and eliminating waste. This form of occlusion blocks the blood vessels that perform these tasks. This leads to pressure and swelling in your eye, which can cause issues with your sight, resulting in blurry vision and floaters.

This illness develops in one of two ways: central retinal vein occlusion and branch retinal vein occlusion. The central form blocks the main vein, and the branch type blocks the smaller veins. The branch type happens more often than the central type. Globally, more than 16 million people struggle with one of these types of RVO.

Causes and complications

The leading cause of this illness still eludes researchers, but specific conditions increase your chances of developing it, including hypertension, glaucoma, diabetes, and various other vascular conditions.

Retinal vascular occlusion also increases the risk of problems like vitreous hemorrhage (bleeding in the eye), neurovascular glaucoma, cystoid macular edema, and neovascularization, where abnormal blood vessels grow in other parts of the eye. Retinal detachment poses another severe risk.

The importance of regular eye exams

If you’re experiencing the symptoms mentioned above or other vision issues, eye exams can help determine the cause. To verify the presence of these venous problems in your eyes, a comprehensive exam is vital. This includes detailed cross-sectional photos of your eyes, known as optical coherence tomography, and an ophthalmoscope to look at the back of your eye. 

Once these tasks are completed and we have the results, our next step is to form a treatment plan. We’re here to preserve your eye health, and exams play a crucial role in providing you with that care. Make an appointment with Dr. Rapkin and the Retina Consultants of Muncie team today to examine your symptoms and get the help you need.