The central retinal vein (retinal vein) is a
vein that drains the
retina of the
eye
Eyes are organs of the visual system. They provide living organisms with vision, the ability to receive and process visual detail, as well as enabling several photo response functions that are independent of vision. Eyes detect light and conv ...
. It travels backwards through the centre of the
optic nerve accompanied by the
central retinal artery before exiting the optic nerve together with the central retinal artery to drain into either the
superior ophthalmic vein
The superior ophthalmic vein is a vein of the orbit that drains venous blood from structures of the upper orbit. It is fromed by the union of the angular vein, and supraorbital vein. It passes backwards within the orbit alongside the ophthalmic ...
or the
cavernous sinus.
Structure
Origin
The central retinal vein is formed by the convergence of veins that drain retinal tissue. The central retinal vein originates within the eyeball, emerging from the eyball already as a single unified vein.
Course
The central retinal vein runs through the centre of the
optic nerve (alongside the
central retinal artery) surrounded by a
fibrous connective tissue envelope.
It leaves the
optic nerve 10 mm from the eyeball along with the
central retinal artery, also exiting the meningeal envelope of the optic nerve.
Fate
The central retinal vein drains into either the
superior ophthalmic vein
The superior ophthalmic vein is a vein of the orbit that drains venous blood from structures of the upper orbit. It is fromed by the union of the angular vein, and supraorbital vein. It passes backwards within the orbit alongside the ophthalmic ...
or the
cavernous sinus.
Variation
The central retinal vein varies between individuals.
in some the central retinal vein drains into the
superior ophthalmic vein
The superior ophthalmic vein is a vein of the orbit that drains venous blood from structures of the upper orbit. It is fromed by the union of the angular vein, and supraorbital vein. It passes backwards within the orbit alongside the ophthalmic ...
, and in some it drains directly into the
cavernous sinus.
Clinical significance
Central retinal vein occlusion
The central retinal vein is the venous equivalent of the
central retinal artery. Like that blood vessel, it can suffer from
occlusion (
central retinal vein occlusion).
This occlusion is similar to that seen in
ocular ischemic syndrome.
Papilledema
As the fluid surrounding the optic nerve within its meningeal envelope is contiguous with the
cerebrospinal fluid of the
central nervous system,
increased intracranial pressure can cause compression of the central retinal vein where it emerges from the optic nerve (the accompanying artery is meanwhile less susceptible to compression due to its thicker arterial wall), with the resulting venous congestion causing oedema of the optic nerve (
papilledema).
Additional images
Image:Gray879.png, Interior of posterior half of bulb of left eye. The veins are darker in appearance than the arteries.
Image:Eyevessels 001.jpg, Eye vessels
References
External links
Early Signs Of Eye Defects
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Veins of the head and neck