Clinical features of thrombotic glaucoma

Among 233 patients with occlusion of the central retinal vein studied for 3 to 12 years 89 had no glaucoma, 77 had primary glaucoma alone and 67 had thrombotic glaucoma. In those with thrombotic glaucoma the intraocular pressure and its postural change in the affected eye never decreased and sometimes increased after the instillation of pilocarpine. Glaucoma secondary to occlusion of the central retinal vein always appeared suddenly. For 1 to 2 days blood could be seen in the angle of the anterior chamber. At the same time the intraocular pressure rapidly increased and the visual acuity fell. The anterior chamber was never flat. This acute stage continued for as little as several days to as long as 1.5 months. During the chronic stage the eye was blind and the intraocular pressure remained high, but there was no pain and the eye did not appear to be irritated. A mass of newly formed blood vessels was present on the iris.