Dehydration during exercise may contribute to CRVO

A healthy 38-year-old woman maintained 20/20 vision despite retinal hemorrhage and venous tortuosity.

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A 38-year-old woman developed mild, perfused central retinal vein occlusion in her left eye during a high-intensity exercise class.
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Examination showed left retinal venous tortuosity and scattered intraretinal hemorrhage, with 20/20 visual acuity in both eyes and no macular edema or ischemia.
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An extensive evaluation did not identify an alternative cause, and the patient received no pharmacologic treatment.
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After increasing oral hydration and temporarily avoiding strenuous exercise, her retinal findings improved at 1 month and resolved by 10 months without symptom recurrence.
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The authors proposed dehydration-related hyperviscosity as a possible contributor but noted that dehydration was not objectively confirmed and a single case cannot establish causation.

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