The Retina Reference

Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

You should look at the Normal Retina photo first for comparison. This photo shows blood above the center of the retina. A clot in a vein of the retina prevents proper drainage of retinal blood from this region, and it leaks out into the retinal tissue. The white patches are called cotton wool spots. They are areas where tissue oxygenation is low because of impaired circulation of blood. To learn more about this condition, read the brochure Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion under the heading Information.