Central retinal vein occlusion and iris neovascularization hemorrhage

Although there have been few direct observations, the etiology of spontaneous hyphema in patients with retinal or ocular hypoxia is assumed to be hemorrhage from a neovascular iris vessel. This paper reports observed hemorrhage from such a rubeotic iris in a patient with central retinal vein occlusion, diabetes, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease and chronic open-angle glaucoma. Bleeding was spontaneous with dilation, but stopped within 24 hours without treatment, leaving only traces of inferior angle blood staining. The two types of central retinal vein occlusion, and suggestions for their management, are also discussed.