Retinal Artery Blockage May Warn of Impending Stroke
A certain retinal vessel disease may be a warning of an impending stroke! When an artery or vein in the retina becomes blocked or “occluded” it can be a sign of more serious health issues that need to be looked-quickly! A central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a disease of the eye where the flow of blood through the central retinal artery is blocked. Patients suffering from a central artery occlusion experience a sudden, severe, painless loss of vision in one eye. While there can be several different causes of the blockage, most often a central retinal artery occlusion is caused by unhealthy carotid arteries which supply the head and neck with oxygen. Unhealthy carotid arteries are those that have atherosclerosis, are narrowed and filled with a waxy fatty substance that forms plaques that can break off and end up in the retinal circulation. Retinal artery occlusion is a significant warning of a stroke risk and indeed more than 15% of the patients having a central retinal artery occlusion experience a stroke within 4 years after the artery blockage.
A retinal artery occlusion is a medical emergency as the loss of vision is fast an irreversible. If you or someone you know experiences a quick painless severe loss of vision in one eye, please call your local optometrist to schedule an appointment. If specialty care, treatment or surgery is required, please ask to be referred to one of the physicians at Eyecare Medical Group.
