Combined retinal vein occlusion and retinal artery occlusion in a patient undergoing therapy for metastatic breast cancer: a case report

Background: This case involves a patient on aromatase inhibitor therapy for breast carcinoma who experienced combined retinal artery and vein occlusion. Case presentation: A 56-year-old Caucasian woman of northern Italian origin, who was initially diagnosed with central vein occlusion in the left eye treated with ranibizumab and laser photocoagulation, later experienced a new episode of visual decrease in the same eye secondary to retinal artery occlusion. These vascular occlusions followed a diagnosis of stage G2 infiltrating ductal breast cancer, for which she was receiving systemic therapy with tamoxifen and letrozole. Conclusion: This case report highlights the factors associated with retinal occlusion during aromatase inhibitor treatment for breast cancer, aiming to prevent ocular adverse events and visual deterioration, and underscoring the importance of ophthalmic screening for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, as visual disturbances may be underestimated owing to the systemic pathology.