Visual outcome in central retinal and branch retinal artery occlusion

Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2004 Sep-Oct;48(5):490-2. doi: 10.1007/s10384-004-0102-y.

Abstract

Purpose: To study retrospectively the presenting visual acuity and the visual outcome in patients with central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) and in patients with branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO).

Methods: We studied the visual acuity and outcome in 23 patients (23 eyes) with CRAO and in 30 patients (30 eyes) with BRAO that met the inclusion criteria: a funduscopic appearance of retinal whitening, a delay in arterial dye filling in a fluorescein angiogram, the first examination in our hospital within 7 days of onset, and a minimum follow-up period of 90 days.

Results: Both presenting acuity and final acuity were far worse in patients with CRAO than in patients with BRAO. A final acuity worse than 0.1 was observed in 14 of the 23 (61%) patients with CRAO and in only 1 of the 30 (3%) patients with BRAO. Only 5 of the 23 (22%) patients with CRAO and 24 of the 30 (80%) patients with BRAO showed a final acuity of 0.5 or better.

Conclusion: Visual acuity in patients with CRAO is poor at presentation, and the prognosis is generally poor, with a few exceptions. In contrast, the visual acuity in patients with BRAO is far better both at presentation and at the final visit.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Retinal Artery Occlusion / diagnosis
  • Retinal Artery Occlusion / physiopathology*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Visual Acuity / physiology*