Background: Visual prognosis in central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is poor and not predictable in individual patients. There may be a correlation between visual acuity and extent of initial macular edema.
Methods: Central retinal thickness of eleven patients with subtotal CRAO was measured with optical coherence tomography (OCT). Patients' acute-stage macular thicknesses were compared to those of later stages. Values are given as mean (+/-standard error; range).
Results: The mean age of the eleven patients was 68.8 years (62-75). Eight men and three women were examined. The mean initial duration of CRAO was 24.7 (+/- 5.0; 4-77) hours. Initial central thickness was 372.5 (+/- 27.1; 258-522) microm. After 5.7 (+/- 1.5; 1-17) months, mean reduction in macular edema was 197 (+/- 31.3; 63-391) microm. Visual acuity (VA) improved from 0.0125 (+/- 0.2; blindness -0.6) to 0.035 (+/- 0.2; blindness - 0.8) namely 4.5 lines. This difference was significant (p= 0.023). 6/11 patients (55 %) initially had a pronounced central retinal edema (>380 microm). No correlation was found between the initial macular edema height and visual improvement.
Conclusions: The extent of macular edema differs widely and does not affect visual prognosis in CRAO eyes.