Central retinal vein occlusion in Reye's syndrome

P. Smith, W. R. Green, N. R. Miller and J. M. Terry

A male infant with a fatal case of Reye's syndrome had numerous intraretinal hemorrhages and hemorrhagic schisis blebs under the internal limiting membrane (ILM). Histopathologic examination showed bilateral central retinal vein thrombosis with recanalization and confirmed the presence of intraretinal hemorrhages and the sub-ILM schisis cavities. Ghost erythrocytes were demonstrated in the cavities by electron microscopy. Central retinal vein occlusion, to our knowledge, is a previously unreported complication of Reye's syndrome. Four other pairs of autopsy eyes from the Wilmer Eye Pathology Laboratory files of patients with Reye's syndrome were examined. These are compared with previously reported ophthalmic findings in the context of a general review of Reye's syndrome.