The clinical manifestations of the disease indicate that the case should pertain to "Baomang"(sudden blindness) in traditional Chinese medicine. The seven emotions, diet, overworking and phlegm-fire are often the causes of the case. Its main pathogenesis is that hyperactivity of liver yang causes upward invasion of liver qi, or that stagnation of liver qi leads to blood stasis, or that endogenous phlegm-heat accumulates in the eye, or that excessive fire due to yin deficiency affects upwards the eye, and all the factors may obstruct the ocular channel (or veins), causing the occurrence of the disease.

According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, there are some patterns of syndrome that lead to retinal vein obstruction.
1. Syndrome of Hyperactivity of Liver Yang
2. Syndrome of Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis
3. Syndrome of Upward Accumulation of Phlegm-heat
4. Syndrome of Fire Hyperactivity due to Yin Deficiency