Retinal artery occlusion is a visually devastating condition with no proven treatments so far. Moreover, the therapeutic interval between symptom onset and potentially sight-saving intervention is narrow. Therefore, early detection and intervention are indispensable to avoid the associated morbidity. This article describes effective approaches for the diagnosis and management of this rare ophthalmic pathological condition.
Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) leads to profound visual impairment in the affected eye. Most patients with RAO present with major cardio- and cerebrovascular risk factors. Patients with RAO, whether an obstruction is present or not, have been associated with 56% mortality over 9 years, compared to 27% for an age-matched population without retinal artery emboli. In addition, the life expectancy of patients with central RAO (CRAO) is 5.5 years, compared to 15.4…
