[1] Patients with branch retinal vein occlusion usually have a sudden onset of blurred vision or a central visual field defect.

The eye examination findings of acute branch retinal vein occlusion include superficial hemorrhages, retinal edema, and often cotton-wool spots in a sector of retina drained by the affected vein.

Neovascularization is more likely to occur if more than five disc diameters of nonperfusion are present and vitreous hemorrhage can ensue.

[1] In general, branch retinal vein occlusion has a good prognosis: after 1 year 50–60% of eyes have been reported to have a final visual acuity of 20/40 or better even without any treatment.

With time the dramatic picture of an acute branch retinal vein occlusion becomes more subtle, hemorrhages fade so that the retina can look almost normal.