A Rare Case of Superior Ophthalmic Vein Thrombosis Due to Cryoglobulinemia. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg 2026 Jul-Aug 01;42(4):e191-e193
Date
12/02/2025Pubmed ID
41329047DOI
10.1097/IOP.0000000000003139Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105029087229 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)Abstract
Superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis (SOVT) has many well-defined infectious, autoimmune, hematologic, and malignant etiologies. The authors present the first known case of SOVT associated with idiopathic cryoglobulinemia. A 42-year-old woman with a history of idiopathic cryoglobulinemia presented with severe headache, right eye pain, and diplopia. Imaging revealed retrobulbar inflammation and an engorged superior ophthalmic vein, consistent with SOVT. The patient was treated with heparin and intravenous methylprednisolone, resulting in significant clinical improvement. Cryoglobulinemia is a small to medium vessel vasculitis caused by immune complex precipitates; it is typically associated with conditions such as hepatitis C and hematologic disorders, but idiopathic cases are also recognized. The authors report SOVT as an unusual manifestation of cryoglobulinemia, emphasizing the importance of considering SOVT in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with cryoglobulinemia and eye pain.
Author List
Arzbecker M, Dawoud S, Chisholm SAMAuthor
Smith Ann Meile Chisholm MD Assistant Professor in the Ophthalmology department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultCryoglobulinemia
Female
Humans
Venous Thrombosis
