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Background The influence of retinal artery circulation on central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is not well known. Case A 73-year-old man with hypertension complained of transient visual loss in his left eye. At initial examination, ophthalmoscopy of his left eye showed mild dilatation and tortuosity of the retinal vein and a few dot hemorrhages. Fluorescein angiography disclosed normal arm-to-retina circulation time and no leakage of dye, but delayed retinal circulation time. These findings indicated venous stasis retinopathy of CRVO. In spite of intravenous infusion of prostaglandin E1 and vasodilative treatment, four days after initial examination, the patient's left eyeground showed complication of branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO). A fibrinolytic agent was given intravenously, but four weeks later, his left eyeground developed typical hemorrhagic retinopathy. The hemodynamics of retrobulbar arterial circulation were investigated by color Doppler imaging. Conclusion We report a case of venous stasis retinopathy of CRVO associated with BRAO, that developed hemorrhagic retinopathy despite treatment with prostaglandin E1 and other vasodilative agents. We think that arterial insufficiency might be responsible for the conversion from venous stasis retinopathy to hemorrhagic retinopathy of CRVO.