Retinal artery occlusion is a vascular emergency equivalent to a stroke, but affecting the eye. The central retinal artery or one of its branches is suddenly blocked, causing immediate and painless vision loss in the affected eye.
An ophthalmological emergency requiring action within the hour
The retina can only survive complete ischaemia for 90-100 minutes before irreversible damage occurs. Beyond this therapeutic window, the visual loss becomes permanent. Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) causes sudden, complete vision loss in one eye — it must be treated as an emergency equivalent to a cerebral stroke. If you experience sudden vision loss in one eye, contact Dr Gozlan or go directly to an emergency ophthalmology department immediately.
Further reading
Read the complete article by Dr Julien Gozlan : Retinal artery occlusion — ocular stroke emergency
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