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 us immediately and relay your symptoms to the person taking your
phone and request an immediate appointment. Please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in
Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye &
Cataract Center,
Google+ or www.facebook.com/alabamaeyeandcataractcenter.
