Definition:

Retinal artery occlusion occurs when the central retinal artery or one of the arteries that branch off of it becomes blocked by a tiny clot in the blood stream. The blockage decreases the oxygen supply to the area of the retina nourished by the affected artery, causing permanent vision loss. Different types of occlusion include a central retinal artery occlusion and a branch retinal artery occlusion.

Who can get it?

Persons with the following conditions:

· High cholesterol · Heart disease

· Arteriosclerosis · Hypertension

· Diabetes · Glaucoma

What are the symptoms?

Signs of an artery occlusion include a temporary loss of vision prior to the artery occlusion, or sudden, painless and partial or complete loss of vision in one eye .

What is the treatment?

Artery occlusion is diagnosed by examining the retina with an ophthalmoscope.

If it is caught within the first hour and treatment is initiated immediately, recovery is possible in rare cases. However, after that time the risk of permanent vision loss is extreme, and there is no treatment that can restore vision lost from an artery occlusion.

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