A Case Series of Retinal Artery Occlusion: When Time Is of the Essence

TL;DR

This case series highlights how quick treatment of retinal artery occlusions can improve vision outcomes, while delays often lead to permanent damage.

Contribution

The paper presents three distinct clinical cases emphasizing the importance of timely intervention in retinal artery occlusion management.

Findings

Early presentation within four hours led to good visual recovery in one CRAO case.

Delayed presentation (7-8 hours) resulted in poor visual outcomes in two cases.

Different etiologies, such as hypercoagulable states and vasospastic syndrome, were identified across the cases.

Abstract

This case series discusses the presentation, etiologies, and management of retinal artery occlusions in three patients. The first case was diagnosed as right eye central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) secondary to a hypercoagulable state as the patient had been newly diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. The second case had right branch retinal artery occlusion (RAO) secondary to a thromboembolic event following a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty procedure. The third case involved a right eye CRAO secondary to vasospastic syndrome. The first case had good visual recovery as the patient presented to us within four hours of the onset. In contrast, the second and third cases presented after seven to eight hours, resulting in poor visual recovery.

Though several measures have been devised to reverse the occlusion, the final visual prognosis still depends on the degree of occlusion and the time of presentation, as late presentation is usually associated with irreversible visual loss. Detection of RAO may require a multidisciplinary team approach, and proper and timely management may reverse the ischemic state of the retina.

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