Eye Conditions

Retinal Artery Occlusion

Our Specialists

Dr Robert Bourke

Dr Lewis Lam

Dr Sharon Morris

Dr Daniel Allbon

Dr Darryl Gregor

Request an Appointment

What is a Retinal Artery Occlusion

A retinal artery occlusion is an ocular emergency that can cause permanent vision loss. Seek urgent medical attention.

It occurs when there is a blockage of the central retinal artery supplying blood flow to the retina and can result in vision loss.

The occlusion may be transient if the blockage breaks up and restores normal blood flow, or it may be permanent.

What are the symptoms

The most common symptom of a retinal artery occlusion is the sudden, painless vision loss in one eye.

Sudden blindness in one eye
Sudden, complete blurring of eyesight in one eye
Steady loss of eyesight in one eye over a few weeks

A retinal artery occlusion can lead to partial to permanent vision loss in the affected eye.

What is a Retinal Artery Occlusion

A retinal artery occlusion is an ocular emergency that can cause permanent vision loss. Seek urgent medical attention.

It occurs when there is a blockage of the central retinal artery supplying blood flow to the retina and can result in vision loss.

The occlusion may be transient if the blockage breaks up and restores normal blood flow, or it may be permanent.

What are the symptoms

The most common symptom of a retinal artery occlusion is the sudden, painless vision loss in one eye.

Sudden blindness in one eye
Sudden, complete blurring of eyesight in one eye
Steady loss of eyesight in one eye over a few weeks

A retinal artery occlusion can lead to partial to permanent vision loss in the affected eye.

Causes and Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no clinically proven treatment for retinal artery occlusion however several therapies may applied to attempt to dislodge the blockage, including medication to lower the intraocular pressure and ocular massage with a thumb.

A retinal artery occlusion is a medical emergency as for any treatment to be potentially effective, it must be deployed rapidly after symptoms begin.

A retinal artery occlusion can happen at any age, but risk factors that may increase the likelihood include:

Older age
Male
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Cardiovascular disease
Diabetes
Glaucoma
Smoking
Obesity
Pregnancy

Retinal Artery Occlusion: Overview

View Video