Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister, was recently hospitalized in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) with an emergency treatment due to a severe eye ailment called Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO).
It has been reported of the condition to be a possible symptom of the underlying vascular diseases, and a closer examination of the heart and brain status of the 74-year-old leader is necessary, as indicated by the medical professionals.
What is Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO)?
As per the physician, CRVO is a condition that is almost always experienced in older adults. Central Retinal Vein Occlusion is a blockage in the central retinal vein, which normally drains the blood out of the retina and the blockage occurs most frequently as a result of a blood clot. This obstruction disorients the normal circulation of blood in the eye and causes the retina to swell (macular oedema), leak fluid and hemorrhage within the eye. Due to this destruction, patients will either suffer sudden loss or slow progressive loss of vision. This condition is widely associated with the systemic risk factors that include high blood pressure, high levels of cholesterol, diabetes, and underlying heart diseases, which predisposes one to this severe eye problem.
Why Was the Treatment Urgent?
Imran Khan was advised to receive treatment immediately at the hospital due to CRVO as it may cause serious complications when not treated.
Risk of 100-Day Glaucoma: A senior ophthalmologist observed that patients who were not treated would develop neovascular glaucoma (so-called 100-day glaucoma) where new blood vessels would grow abnormally high, putting patients at risk of having their eye pressure soaring to harmfully high levels.
Vascular Warning: According to experts, CRVO is not a sight condition only, but it is a window into the blood vessels of the body. A blockage in the retina suggests potential issues in the heart or brain vessels, requiring urgent assessment of overall vascular health.
