What causes Retinal Vein Occlusions?
It is theorized that vein occlusions occur when there is compression of a retinal vein by a neighboring retinal artery. Over time it is believed that artery walls can become thicker and stiffer. In areas where veins and arteries travel together, they are surrounded by a sheath of tissue, so the vein becomes compressed by the thickened artery. This in turn leads to turbulence in the vein that eventually results in the formation of a clot which blocks blood flow. Risk factors for the development of vein occlusions include hypertension, smoking, diabetes and glaucoma.
