| Central retinal vein | |
|---|---|
 Veins of orbit. (Central retinal vein not labeled, but region is visible - the vein is inside the optic nerve.) | |
 Diagram of the blood vessels of the eye, as seen in a horizontal section. (Central retinal vein not labeled, but region is visible. The central retinal vein is at bottom running away from the retina through the optic nerve.) | |
| Details | |
| Drains from | Retina |
| Drains to | Superior ophthalmic vein orcavernous sinus |
| Artery | Central retinal artery |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | vena centralis retinae |
| MeSH | D012169 |
| TA98 | A12.3.06.111 |
| TA2 | 4895 |
| FMA | 51799 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Thecentral retinal vein (retinal vein) is avein that drains theretina of theeye. It travels backwards through the centre of theoptic nerve accompanied by thecentral retinal artery before exiting the optic nerve together with the central retinal artery to drain into either thesuperior ophthalmic vein or thecavernous sinus.
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 eyeball already as a single unified vein.[1]
The central retinal vein runs through the centre of theoptic nerve (alongside thecentral retinal artery) surrounded by afibrous connective tissue envelope.[2] It leaves theoptic nerve 10 mm from the eyeball[citation needed] along with thecentral retinal artery, also exiting the meningeal envelope of the optic nerve.[1]
The central retinal vein drains into either thesuperior ophthalmic vein or thecavernous sinus.[1]
The central retinal vein varies between individuals.[3] in some the central retinal vein drains into thesuperior ophthalmic vein, and in some it drains directly into thecavernous sinus.[3][4]
The central retinal vein is the venous equivalent of thecentral retinal artery. Like that blood vessel, it can suffer fromocclusion (central retinal vein occlusion).[5] This occlusion is similar to that seen inocular ischemic syndrome.
As the fluid surrounding the optic nerve within its meningeal envelope is contiguous with thecerebrospinal fluid of thecentral 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).[1]
