[Occlusion of the central retinal vein in hemodialyzed patients]

The authors describe the acute development of an occlusion of the main retinal vein in six patients enlisted in a chronic dialyzation programme. It is a very serious ophthalmological complication which caused substantial diminution of visual acuity, and where haemorrhagic glaucoma developed (4 patients), loss of the eye. In investigations of these patients enlisted in chronic dialyzation programmes pathological findings on the ocular fundus are decisive. Patients with hypertonic neuroretinopathy on the ocular fundus run the greatest risk of occlusion of retinal vessels, in particular in the first year after enlistment in the programme. Impaired blood clotting in these patients certainly also plays a part in the development of the occlusion.