Blood viscosity in proliferative diabetic retinopathy and complicated retinal vein thrombosis.

Forty-two patients with longstanding retinal vein thrombosis and 36 patients with diabetes had their blood viscosity levels measured. In both conditions blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, and plasma fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in those patients with capillary non-perfusion and/or new vessels on fluorescein angiography, compared to those patients without these complications. The possible role of abnormal blood viscosity in producing capillary non-perfusion and its sequelae in both conditions is discussed.