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Eye problems
I can't see one eye
A partial loss of vision
Distorted vision
Blood pressure is high
My eyesight is deteriorating
Vision loss in one eye
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Central Retinal Artery Occlusion?
The retina is a thin layer of tissue lining the back of the eyes, responsible for converting light signals into images in the brain. The retina has one main artery that supplies it with blood and a vein that carries blood away. When the central retinal artery gets blocked, the retina loses blood supply and will start to die. Symptoms include vision changes and vision loss that needs to be emergently addressed. Risk factors include smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol levels. In some cases, a tendency to form blood clots (hypercoagulability) may be present.
Typical Symptoms of Central Retinal Artery Occlusion
- Difficulty seeing on one side
- Partial loss of vision
- Field of vision suddenly became narrower or has blind spots
- Difficulty seeing due to poor color or light contrast
- Things appear darker or dimmer than before
- History of diabetes requiring medications
- Poor peripheral vision
- Eye pain or discomfort
Diagnostic Questions for Central Retinal Artery Occlusion
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Are you currently experiencing vision loss in one eye?
- Have you experienced partial loss of vision?
- Is your field of vision narrower or do you have blind spots?
- Is it hard for you to distinguish subtle differences in color intensity or brightness?
- Do things appear darker or dimmer to you than before?
Treatment of Central Retinal Artery Occlusion
This condition requires emergency medical care and assessment by a specialist. Treatment options include medications that break up the blood clot that may be blocking blood flow or even physical eye massage to move the clot. However, these come with increased risks that must be discussed with the specialist. Even with treatment, vision may never return to normal. Preventing further episodes is important by reducing risk factors.
Reviewed By:
Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care)
Dr. Taylor is a Japanese-African American physician who grew up and was educated in the United States but spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as a college student, working professional and now father of three. After graduating from Brown, he worked in finance first before attending medical school at Penn. He then completed a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control before going on to specialize in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was also a chief resident. After a faculty position at Stanford, he moved with his family to Japan where he continues to see families on a military base outside of Tokyo, teach Japanese residents and serve remotely as a medical director for Roots Community Health Center. He also enjoys editing and writing podcast summaries for Hippo Education.
Masashi Mimura, MD (Ophthalmology)
Dr. Mimura Graduated from the Osaka Medical College and obtained his ophthalmologist certification in 2007. He opened an outpatient clinic for oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery at Osaka Kaijo Hospital. Subsequently, he was appointed as the assistant professor at the Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College, in 2014. He then served an international fellowship at the Department of Ophthalmology/Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery, California State University, San Diego. Since then, he has been appointed as Lecturer in the Departments of Ophthalmology at Osaka Medical College and Toho University Medical Center Sakura Hospital. Dr. Mimura is currently the Director of Oculofacial Clinic Osaka, where he specializes in Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Hayreh SS. Central retinal artery occlusion. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2018 Dec;66(12):1684-1694. doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_1446_18. PMID: 30451166; PMCID: PMC6256872.
https://journals.lww.com/ijo/Fulltext/2018/66120/Central_retinal_artery_occlusion.7.aspxChronopoulos A, Schutz JS. Central retinal artery occlusion-A new, provisional treatment approach. Surv Ophthalmol. 2019 Jul-Aug;64(4):443-451. doi: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2019.01.011. Epub 2019 Jan 30. PMID: 30707925.
https://www.surveyophthalmol.com/article/S0039-6257(18)30215-7/fulltextMac Grory B, Schrag M, Biousse V, Furie KL, Gerhard-Herman M, Lavin PJ, Sobrin L, Tjoumakaris SI, Weyand CM, Yaghi S; American Heart Association Stroke Council; Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology; Council on Hypertension; and Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease. Management of Central Retinal Artery Occlusion: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Stroke. 2021 Jun;52(6):e282-e294. doi: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000366. Epub 2021 Mar 8. Erratum in: Stroke. 2021 Jun;52(6):e309. PMID: 33677974.
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STR.0000000000000366Dattilo M, Biousse V, Newman NJ. Update on the Management of Central Retinal Artery Occlusion. Neurol Clin. 2017 Feb;35(1):83-100. doi: 10.1016/j.ncl.2016.08.013. PMID: 27886897.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S073386191630072X?via%3DihubVarma DD, Cugati S, Lee AW, Chen CS. A review of central retinal artery occlusion: clinical presentation and management. Eye (Lond). 2013 Jun;27(6):688-97. doi: 10.1038/eye.2013.25. Epub 2013 Mar 8. PMID: 23470793; PMCID: PMC3682348.
https://www.nature.com/articles/eye201325