Vision improvement is long-lasting with treatment for blinding blood vessel condition (Retinal vein occlusion is chronic, not acute, and may need treatment for five years to maintain improvement)

New research shows that a treatment for retinal vein occlusion yields long-lasting vision gains, with visual acuity remaining significantly above baseline at five years. However, many patients require ongoing treatment. Retinal vein occlusion is one of the most common blinding conditions in the United States; without treatment, central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), the most severe type of retinal vein occlusion often leads to significant and permanent vision loss.

Retinal vein occlusion is caused by a blockage of the veins carrying blood away from the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. The most effective treatment, injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs, helps control blood vessel leakage and swelling in the retina.

As detailed in this new report, the study investigators followed SCORE2 participants for five years, collecting information about their visual acuity, treatments, and whether their macular edema had resolved. After the initial 12-month study period, participants were treated at their physician's discretion. Most physicians reduced the frequency of anti-VEGF injections and some switched their patients to the other anti-VEGF drug. At five years, many participants had lost some visual acuity when compared to their acuity at the 12-month mark; however, they retained on average three lines of improvement, compared to their acuity at the beginning of the study.

"This five-year study tells us a lot about what's happening with retinal vein occlusion patients in the real world," said Scott. "Prior to this study, retinal vein occlusion was widely considered an acute illness. This study shows that RVO is a chronic disease."

Said Scott: "Prior to this study, retinal vein occlusion was widely considered an acute illness. This study shows that RVO is a chronic disease. It also underscores the importance of disease monitoring and individualized treatment to achieve the best possible vision."

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A decade ago I at age 60 was in a high-stress job and had undiagnosed hypertension (high blood pressure). I developed CRVO in my right eye which resulted in increasing macular blindness. I foolishly ignored it for weeks, until one day in an argument I basically blew out my right retina. Went to the eye doctor and the pictures of my retina looked like a war zone, with snaky broken blood vessels, tissue shrapnel, and massive edema. My blood pressure at that point was found to be 205/135 resting -- I was a walking stroke case.

I was offered eye injections, but instead went on meds for the hypertension, changed jobs to a lower-stress position, and took up meditation and prayer again after many years of not doing so. In other words, some meds and some lifestyle changes.

After a couple months the vision in my right eye started improving, and my BP was down to 150/100 and dropping. After one year, my right retina had returned to near normal -- the edema was way down, the blood vessels had mostly repaired themselves, and BP was 135/90, which is still considered a bit high but that's what I averaged for most of my life.

My eye doctor said he'd never seen such amazing recovery. I told him that I had been praying, in addition to treating the underlying BP cause. He said, "Then you are an example of how prayer works -- your recovery is nothing short of a miracle."

Ten years later, my corrected eyesight is 20/20, no blind spots. And I'm still giving thanks in prayer every day for my eyesight.

My story is not at all meant to counter the medical information in this thread, but only to supplement it. In addition to the treatments described here, I also recommend looking for root causes (like the BP in my case), reducing stress, meditation, and prayer. It worked for me.

A brand new employee at my company has this issue, unfortunately, for three years, and he can only see occasional flickers of light in the one eye.

Perfect vision in his other. The man is in his late 20s.

Your recovery is amazing, dayglored. I haven’t come across information showing what you did should have worked.

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