Overview
Papillophlebitis is a rare condition developing in young healthy adults referring to inflammation of the disc and retinal veins. It is characterised by a unilateral disc swelling and signs consistent with a central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), including venous engorgement, retinal or macular oedema and retinal haemorrhages.
The cause of papillophlebitis is inflammatory as opposed to a central retinal artery occlusion which has an occlusive cause. Papillophlebitis is typically suspected when a young patient has signs of CRVO.
Spontaneous resolution of the retinal signs is common, however up to 30% of patients have an ischaemic occlusion. Treatment is typically considered only if central vision is threatened by macular oedema.
Inflammation of the central retinal vein at the optic disc is thought to be the cause.
For more information on the clinical signs of CRVO, please use the link below.
References
Güngör,I. Konuk, GE. et al. (2014) Papillophlebitis: Treatment of Vision Loss Due To Subretinal Fluid with Intravitreal Ranibizumab. Neuroophthalmology. 2014; 38(6): 336–339.