Retinal Artery Occlusion

Obstruction of the retinal vascular lumen by an embolus, thrombus or inflammatory/ traumatic vessel wall damage or spasm. Giant cell arteritis may also be associated with this condition
The risk factors
- are similar to ischemic stroke and include several modifiable risk factors:
  - Older age
  - Male gender
  - Smoking
  - Hypertension
  - Obesity
  - Diabetes
  - Hyperlipidemia
  - Cardiovascular disease
  - Coagulopathy
Symptoms
- sudden, painless, vision loss that occurs over seconds.
- Visual acuity may vary depending on the location of the obstruction.
- Complete vision loss to no light perception should raise suspicion of an ophthalmic artery occlusion.
- central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO)
  - complain of visual loss over the entire field of vision
- branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO)
  - complain of hemifield defect
  - patient with cilioretinal artery sparing may have 20/20 vision
  - Visual loss may have been preceded by transient loss of vision in the past (amaurosis fugax) in the case of embolic sources
Management
- Retinal artery occlusion is an eye emergency. Patients should be referred to the nearest stroke center for further immediate management.