Central retinal vein
vein in the retina of the eye
The central retinal vein (retinal vein) is a vein that drains the retina of the eye. It travels backwards through the centre of the optic nerve accompanied by the central retinal artery before exiting the optic nerve together with the central retinal artery to drain into either the superior ophthalmic vein or the cavernous sinus.
Structure
Origin
The central retinal vein is formed by the convergence of veins that drain retinal tissue. The central retinal vein originates within the eyeball, emerging from the eyeball already as a single unified vein.
Course
The central retinal vein runs through the centre of the optic nerve (alongside the central retinal artery) surrounded by a fibrous connective tissue envelope. It leaves the optic nerve 10 mm from the eyeball along with the central retinal artery, also exiting the meningeal envelope of the optic nerve.
Fate
The central retinal vein drains into either the superior ophthalmic vein or the cavernous sinus.
Variation
The central retinal vein varies between individuals. in some the central retinal vein drains into the superior ophthalmic vein, and in some it drains directly into the cavernous sinus.
Clinical significance
Central retinal vein occlusion
The central retinal vein is the venous equivalent of the central retinal artery.
“Central retinal vein” enters the record as vein in the retina of the eye. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Central, retinal and vein can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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This entry incorporates text from “Central retinal vein” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.