Progressive Venous Stasis Retinopathy and Open-Angle Glaucoma Associated With Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

Abstract
A 40-year-old woman who had primary pulmonary hypertension presented with dilated episcleral vessels, venous stasis retinopathy, and open-angle glaucoma with reflux of blood in Schlemm’s canal in both eyes. Intraocular pressure was controlled with antiglaucoma medication along with systemic treatment of congestive heart failure. However, venous stasis retinopathy progressed with subsequent development of branch retinal vein occlusion in her right eye. The stagnation of venous blood flow and elevation of venous pressure found in individuals with primary pulmonary hypertension is responsible for these intractable ocular complications. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging 2006;37:230-233.] AUTHORS From the Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. Accepted for publication February 24, 2006. Presented as a poster at the Annual Meeting of the Korean Ophthalmological Society, Seoul, Korea, October 8, 2005. Supported by grant #02-PJ1-PG1-CH02-0003 by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare (YHY). Address reprint requests to Young H. Yoon, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, Asan Medical Center, 388-1 Poongnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea.