Purpose: To investigate transient increased retinal hemorrhage during anticoagulant therapy and changes in the retinal venous blood flow in the course of non-ischemic central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).
Methods: Seventeen patients(eighteen eyes) with non-ischemic CRVO were studied. The retinal vein diameter, blood velocity, and blood flow were determined by the laser Doppler method in seven patients.
Results: The retinal hemorrhage increased in nine eyes (50%); however, the retinal hemorrhage was transient and it finally decreased without vision loss in seven of the eyes. The retinal hemorrhage increased in the other two eyes and they became ischemic. The vessel diameter decreased and both velocity and blood flow increased in six of the seven patients two weeks after the treatment. There was no significant change in blood flow in cases which showed a transient increase in retinal hemorrhage, and they did not show a decrease in vision; however, only one eye which became ischemic showed a decrease in blood flow.
Conclusion: We can judge whether an increase in retinal hemorrhage is transient or the clinical condition is getting worse in an early stage by measuring the retinal vein blood flow quantitatively by laser Doppler flowmetry.