THROMBOSIS OF CENTRAL RETINAL VEIN TREATED SUCCESSFULLY WITH HEPARIN

Abstract

It is common ophthalmic knowledge that thrombosis of the central vein of the retina almost always leads to blindness. Often it results in intractable hemorrhagic glaucoma involving many unsuccessful operations and eventually leading to enucleation. In a survey by Holmin and Ploman, 1 it was found that of 78 thromboses of the central retinal vein, the majority were branch thromboses. In only 13 patients was there complete occlusion of the trunk. Of these 13, who were treated by the usual conservative methods, 9 became totally blind—8 as a result of glaucoma and 1 as a result of retinitis proliferans. Of these 9, 5 required enucleation. Of the remaining 4 patients, who had no increase in intraocular tension, the vision improved in 1 to 6/21, in 2 to 6/60 and in 1 to perception of hand movements in the temporal region. Even in the patients with branch thrombosis, the results were