Retinal periphlebitis resembling frosted branch angiitis with nonperfused central retinal vein occlusion.

PURPOSE: To report the unusual association between severe retinal periphlebitis resembling frosted branch angiitis and nonperfused central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).

METHODS

Observational case reports.

RESULTS

Patient 1 was a 28-year-old man who presented with extensive sheathing involving all retinal veins in one eye followed by nonperfused CRVO. Twenty-seven months after initial presentation, he developed perfused CRVO in the other eye followed by periphlebitis that progressed into nonperfused CRVO. Patient 2 was a 47-year-old man who presented with unilateral severe retinal periphlebitis associated with nonperfused CRVO. Despite systemic administration of corticosteroid therapy, rubeosis iridis developed in both patients and neovascular glaucoma developed in Patient 1 despite full panretinal photocoagulation. Extensive systemic workup and coagulation studies were unremarkable except for the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in both patients and elevated plasma homocysteine level in Patient 2.

CONCLUSIONS

Severe retinal periphlebitis complicated by nonperfused CRVO is associated with poor visual outcome despite appropriate medical and surgical treatment.