Retinal Vascular Occlusions

What is retinal vascular occlusion?

Retinal vascular occlusion occurs when a blood vessel in the retina, the layer of tissue at the back of your eye, becomes blocked. The job of the retina is to sense light and send signals to your brain so you can see. When blood vessels serving the retina become blocked or have a clot, pressure builds up in the eye. When this happens, the retina is unable to complete its job, resulting in vision loss.

What are the symptoms of retinal vascular occlusion?

You will notice a sudden change in vision, usually only in one eye. Your vision might become blurred, or you might not be able to see at all in that eye. You will not feel any pain in your eye with this vision loss.

Will I lose my eyesight?

If you lose any eyesight, you should seek medical treatment immediately because waiting to see a doctor makes the vision loss more likely. Sometimes people suffer short-term damage to their vision while others may suffer permanent damage, and this depends on how severe the damage is and how quickly you start treatment.

What causes retinal vascular occlusion?

Still today, eye doctors are not sure what causes the condition. While it is possible retinal vascular occlusion occurs because the veins in the eye are very narrow, the exact cause is not known. We do know there are risk factors that can lead to the condition, and these include:

  • Hardening of the arteries
  • Blood clots anywhere in the body that can travel to the eye
  • Heart problems, such as valve problems or an irregular heartbeat
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Being 60 or older
  • Being overweight
  • Smoking
  • Glaucoma

How will my doctor diagnose retinal vascular occlusion?

Your ophthalmologist will:

  • Check the pressure in your eyes
  • Check your vision
  • Examine your retina. To do this, your doctor may take a high definition image of the retina.
  • Use dye to examine your eye. The doctor may inject a special dye that travels through the blood vessels in your eye.
  • Perform heart tests, such as an EKG, if they think the clots came from another part of your body.

What can my eye doctor do to treat retinal vascular occlusion?

There is no specific medication available for this condition, but treatments may include:

  • Drugs to reduce swelling, called corticosteroids. These can be directly injected into the eye to reduce swelling.
  • Laser therapy. The doctor may use lasers to break apart the clot or blockage in the blood vessel.
  • Blood thinners

Can I do anything to prevent retinal vascular occlusion?

This condition may occur because of issues with your heart and blood vessels, therefore taking care of your heart, and living a healthy lifestyle is vital.

  • Exercise regularly
  • Eat a healthy, low-fat diet
  • Lose weight if you are overweight
  • Quit smoking
  • Control your blood sugar if you are diabetic
  • Take blood thinners such as baby aspirin if your doctor recommends

Regular eye exams are an essential part of your health. Grand Rapids Ophthalmology has two fellowship-trained retinal specialists to treat your retina problems, including retinal vascular occlusions. Drs. Gindzin and Gohel offer the most advanced treatment options, including drug therapies, injections, surgery, and laser treatments. How they choose to treat your retinal vascular occlusion depends on their recommendations and what is best for your unique eyes.

We’ll make sure you understand your risks and what you can do to lower them. If you have further questions about retinal vascular occlusion and your eye health, schedule an appointment at Grand Rapids Ophthalmology. No matter what your eye care issue is, Grand Rapids Ophthalmology can help with our expert team of doctors at our 11 convenient locations.

Schedule an Appointment

Schedule an appointment today to experience the GRO difference. Call 616.588.6598 or click here.

Our Locations

Grand Rapids Ophthalmology is pleased to provide top-quality, comprehensive eye care to our patients in the Greater Grand Rapids area. We have 15 conveniently located eye care centers that utilize the latest and most advanced technologies across the entire spectrum of ophthalmology. If you are seeking information about one of our eye care locations please click into our locations page for more information. Hours are subject to change due to upcoming Holidays.

Construction Update: The ramp from US-131 northbound to I-96 westbound is closed and will remain closed through mid-September. Please allow extra travel time and plan routes accordingly to arrive for your appointment on time.

East Beltline Map
East Beltline
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
East Beltline Medical Center
750 East Beltline Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
(Located on the Southeast corner of East Beltline and Bradford - enter from Bradford)
616.588.6598
Hours
M, W, Th, F: 8am – 5pm
Late Night – T: 8am – 7pm
Sat: 8am – 11am
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
Grandville Map
Grandville
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
Rivertown Office Center
4475 Wilson Ave SW
Grandville, MI 49418
(Located on the Northwest corner of 44th St/Rivertown Pkwy and Wilson - enter from Wilson)
616.588.6598
Hours
Tu, W, F: 8am-5pm
Late Nights – M, Th: 8am-7pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
Walker Map
Walker
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology (Located on the upper level)
3300 Walker View Dr
Walker, MI 49544
(Located North of Walker Avenue exit on I-96 – enter on the upper level)
616.588.6598
Hours
M, T, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Late Night – W: 8am-7pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
80 68th map
Cutlerville
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
Corewell Health Care Center
80 68th St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49548
(Located inside the Corewell Helath Care Center on the corner of 68th St and Division)
*Please note there is no exterior signage showing Grand Rapids Ophthalmology at this time.
616.588.6598
Hours
M, W, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Late Night – Tu: 8am-6pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
7 mile map
Rockford
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
Mercy Health Campus
6050 Northland Dr NE, Suite 100
Rockford, MI 49341
616.588.6598
Hours
M, W, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Late Night – Tu: 8am-7pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 7am-5pm
Caledonia
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
Mercy Health Campus
10047 Crossroads Ct SE
Caledonia, MI 49316
616.588.6598
Hours
M, Tu, W, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Closed 12pm-1pm daily
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
caledonia map
lakeshore map
East Grand Rapids
Lakeshore Eye
717 Bagley Ave SE
East Grand Rapids, MI 49506
616.588.6575
Hours
M-Th: 8am-5pm
F: Closed (until December 1, 2023)
holland map
Holland
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
Lakeshore Medical Campus
3235 N Wellness Dr, Suite 130
Holland, MI 49424
(Located ¼ mile East of US-31 on the left)
616.994.0477
Hours
M, W, Th: 8am-5pm
F: 7:30am-3:30pm
Late Night – Tu: 8am-7pm
Phones answered Mon thru Thurs 8am-5pm & Fri 7:30am-3:30pm
ionia map
Ionia
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
537 W Main St
Ionia, MI 48846
616.527.1640
Hours
M, W, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Late Night – Tu: 8am-7pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
Greenville map
Greenville
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
705 S Greenville W Dr. #Suite 201
Greenville MI 48838
616.754.5667
Hours
M: 7:30am-6pm
Tu, W: 7:30am-4:30pm
Th: 8am-5pm
F: 7:30am-4:30pm
Standale
511 Wilson Ave NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49534
616.301.8663
Hours
M, W, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Late Night – T: 8am-7pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am – 5pm
Michigan optical map
GRO Surgical map
GRO Surgical Center
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology Surgical Care Center
750 East Beltline Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
(Located on Southeast corner of East Beltline and Bradford – enter on the second floor)
616.588.6598
Hours
M, TU, W, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
walker surgical map
Walker Surgical Center
Walker Surgical Center
3300 Walker View Dr
Walker, MI 49544
(Located North of Walker Avenue exit on I-96 – enter on the lower level)
616.588.6570
Hours
M, Tu, W, Th, F: 6am-5pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 6am-5pm
see All locations

Contact Us

Please do not include personal identifying information such as your birth date, or personal medical information in any emails you send to us. No one can diagnose your condition from email or other written communications, and communication via our website cannot replace the relationship you have with a physician or another healthcare practitioner.

616.588.6598
LASIK self-test
Cataract Self-Test
Schedule Appointment
online store
Translate