Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO) is a medical condition in which the small veins in the retina, the thin layer of nerves at the back of the eye, become blocked or narrowed. This can lead to decreased vision and other vision-related problems. According to the IANS reports,  it affects up to 2 per cent of people over age 40. Symptoms of RVO include decreased central vision, decreased colour vision, blind spots, and floaters. 

Treatment depends on the severity of the occlusion and may include laser surgery, injections, and medications. Depending on the individual case, RVO may be managed with close monitoring and lifestyle changes. While there is no cure for RVO, early diagnosis and management can reduce the severity of symptoms and reduce the risk of further complications.

However, a recent study published online in Frontiers in Neuroscience, found that an experimental eye drop treatment was twice as effective as the standard injection therapy at reducing swelling and improving blood flow within the retina of mice with RVO. 

Standard therapy for RVO involves injecting into the eye a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor (anti-VEGF) that reduces swelling. The therapy can improve vision but patients with significant retinal damage due to impaired blood flow often have poor outcomes.

The professor of pathology and cell biology and of neurology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Carol M. Troy said, "Anti-VEGF therapy has helped a lot of people with RVO, but the fear factor -- having to get a needle in the eye -- causes many people to delay treatment, which can lead to retinal damage."

The new eye drops also prevented neurons (photoreceptors) in the retina from deteriorating and preserved visual function over time, whereas the standard injections had no effect on either.It contains an experimental drug that blocks caspase-9, an enzyme that triggers cell death and was found to be overactive in blood vessels injured by RVO.Future studies are aimed at preparing to test the eye drops in human clinical trials and identifying additional therapeutic targets.

Troy also said that finding the root cause of RVO is the holy grail, but if they can at least provide better symptomatic relief that doesn't distress patients, it would be a really good start.