Central Retinal Vein Occlusion and Malignant Glaucoma

Malignant (ciliary block) glaucoma developed in three patients with primary open angle glaucoma with preexisting central retinal vein occlusion following trabeculectomy. Two of the three patients had 360° open angles prior to surgical trabeculectomy. Although the relationship may be coincidental, we propose that central retinal vein occlusion may be a risk factor for the development of malignant glaucoma following filtering surgery.