New vessel formation in retinal branch vein occlusion.

Neovascularization after retinal branch vein occlusion (RBVO) has long been recognized (Foster Moore, 1924; Jensen, 1936) and it has been noted more recently in a number of publications. Krill, Archer, and Newell (I97I) found that three out of 14 patients had new vessel formation after RBVO; Michels and Gass (1974) found seven cases of retinal new vessels in 28 eyes and disc new vessels in two out of seven eyes. We studied a series of patients with retinal branch vein occlusion. Our aim was to identify features in the clinical appearance and on fluorescein angiography that would indicate whether a patient with branch vein occlusion would develop new vessels and vitreous haemorrhage.