Retina Surgery Global Perspectives Section Editors

C urrently there is no established standard of care for central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). The conditions that are targeted by current treatments are neovascularization and macular edema. Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) is accepted as an established treatment for neovascularization, but a consensus has not yet been reached on the indications for and timing of the procedure. Recent large-scale clinical trials have shown anti-VEGF therapy to be effective for the management of macular edema, but the benefits are limited and the long-term effects are unknown. The available treatments for CRVO include PRP, antiVEGF therapy, intravitreal injection of steroids, intravitreal injection of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and pars plana vitrectomy. Figure 1 shows my algorithm for the choice of these treatment options. This article discusses the most effective available strategies for the treatment of CRVO and provides an overview of promising therapies under investigation.