Occlusion of the central retinal vein and its branches is caused by local thrombosis at the site where sclerotic arteries press the vein. The disease begins with a sudden loss of vision in the affected eye. Occlusion of the central retinal vein is a common cause of vision loss in older individuals and, after the diabetic retinopathy, is the second most common retinal vascular disease. It is divided into branch retinal vein occlusion, central retinal vein occlusion and hemiretinal upper or lower vein occlusion. It is subdivided into two categories: less severe non-ischemic and severe ischemic. Ischemic damage to the retina stimulates increased production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the vitreous stimulating neovascularization of the anterior and posterior segment of the eye that is responsible for secondary complications. The incidence increases with the age, ranging from 0.5% to 4.6% in patients who are older than 80. Risk factors, except age, are hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes. It presents as a sudden, unilateral blurred vision. It is diagnosed by a complete ophthalmologic examination, fluorescein angiography, by OCT and fundus autofluorescence. There is still no effective cure either for the prevention or for the treatment of central retinal vein occlusion. Medicaments that are used are intravitreally administered VEGF humanized antibodies that bind and neutralize all the isoforms of VEGF (ranimizumab, aflibercept, bevacizumab), then intravitreal corticosteroids (triamcinolone, dexamethasone). Surgical methods that are used are laser photocoagulation, chorioretinal venous anastomosis, vitrectomy and radial optic neurotomy with unknown clinical outcomes. In conclusion, the most important thing is to act on the risk factors which can be affected.