Recurrent retinal vein occlusion after playing a wind instrument.
OBJECTIVE
To present a complication of repeated Valsalva maneuver.


METHODS
Case report with serial intravenous fluorescein angiography and comprehensive workup for coagulopathies.


RESULTS
After playing strenuous musical pieces, a solo trombonist suffered within 1 year three attacks of visual loss in the right eye; he had two attacks of inferior hemi-central retinal vein occlusion 2 months apart, followed by central retinal vein occlusion 10 months later. Final best spectacle-corrected visual acuity was 6/60. He ended his professional career, and no further attacks occurred in the following 10 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Retinal vein occlusion with irreversible visual loss can occur after playing a strenuous piece of music on a high-resistance instrument.
Sbeity
Zaher H
ZH
Department of Ophthalmology, Bonn University Eye Hospital, Germany.
Mansour
Ahmad M
AM
D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D012008:Recurrence; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver; D014792:Visual Acuity