Venous Thrombosis and the Eye

Venous thrombosis is associated with Virchow’s triad. This involves the combination of hypercoagulability, damage to the vessel endothelium and haemodynamic changes in the form of stasis or turbulence. These features ultimately contribute to thrombosis formation (Heit 2008). Venous thrombosis can affect the eyes, resulting in serious ocular symptoms and is a significant cause of vision loss worldwide (Rogers, McIntosh et al. 2010). In the eye, venous thrombosis can result in a branch or a central retinal vein occlusion. The eye can also be affected by systemic venous thrombosis such as that which occurs in cerebral venous sinus thrombosis presenting with papilloedema, or in anti-phospholipid syndrome resulting in retinal arteriole occlusion, ischemic optic or cranial neuropathies. In this chapter, we will discuss the ocular features of venous thrombosis, the presentation of retinal vein occlusion, and its ocular and systemic management. We will then examine the ophthalmic manifestations of systemic venous thrombosis.