Abstract
BACKGROUND: Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is a rare but severe complication following cataract surgery. This report highlights a unique case of CRVO secondary to phacoemulsification in a patient with multiple comorbidities. CASE PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old female presented with left-eye blurred vision, photophobia, and elevated intraocular pressure. Preoperative findings included neovascular glaucoma, nuclear cataract, and suspected retinitis pigmentosa. Postoperatively, she developed CRVO with flame-shaped retinal hemorrhages, confirmed via fundoscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Laboratory tests revealed hypertriglyceridemia (3× normal). CONCLUSION: This case underscores the synergistic roles of vascular pathology (neovascular glaucoma), surgical stress (IOP fluctuations), and metabolic dysfunction (hypertriglyceridemia) in CRVO pathogenesis. Perioperative monitoring of blood rheology and targeted interventions (e.g., anti-VEGF therapy) may mitigate risks in high-risk patients.