Combined central retinal artery and vein occlusion from orbital inflammatory pseudotumour

Abstract

Progressive, painful blurred vision and proptosis developed in the left eye of a 32-year-old man over an 8-day period. On initial neuro-ophthalmic evaluation the visual acuity in the left eye was no light perception. Erythema of the periorbital skin, 5 mm of proptosis, and ophthalmoplegia were noted on the left side. Funduscopy revealed occlusion of the central retinal artery and central retinal vein. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed marked distension of the left optic nerve and enhancement of the contents within the left orbit, with clear paranasal sinuses. The diagnosis of orbital inflammatory pseudotumour was made and the orbital signs improved rapidly with 80 mg of prednisone per day. Combined occlusion of the central retinal artery and vein is a rare complication of orbital inflammatory pseudotumour. It is postulated that marked distension of the optic nerve caused mechanical compression of the central retinal vessels leading to the vascular occlusions.