Transient monocular vision loss Flashcards
What are the causes of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO)?
- Atherosclerosis
- Hypertension
- Diabetes mellitus
- Glaucoma
- Polycythaemia
What are the clinical features of non-ischaemic CRVO?
- Subacute, mild to moderate loss of vision in affected eye
- Absent RAPD
What are the ophthalmoscopic findings in non-ischaemic CRVO?
- Few flame-shaped haemorrhages in all 4 retinal quadrants
- Mild/no macular oedema
- Mild/no papilloedema
What are the clinical features of ischaemic CRVO?
- Sudden, severe loss of vision
- RAPD present
What are the ophthalmoscopic findings in ischaemic CRVO?
- Severe haemorrhages in all 4 retinal quadrants and venous thickening
- Cotton wool spots (yellow-white deposits on the retina)
- Severe macular oedema
- Severe papilloedema
How are non-ischaemic and ischaemic CRVO differentiated from one another?
Fluorescein angiography
What are the causes of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO)?
- Thromboembolism (from atherosclerosis)
- Arteritis (e.g. temporal arteritis)
What are the clinical features of CRAO?
- Sudden , painless loss of vision in affected eye
- Vision loss often described as a descending curtain
- RAPD present
What investigations should be performed when a diagnosis of CRAO is suspected?
- Carotid doppler
- Echo
- Inflammatory markers (ESR/CRP)
- Temporal artery biopsy
What are the ophthalmoscopic findings in CRAO?
- Grey-ish white (cloudy) discolouration of the entire retina
- Cherry-red spot at the fovea centralis
- Retinal plaques/emboli
- Narrowing of all retinal vessels
- Box-carring: segmented appearance of retinal vessels
What is the management for CRAO?
- CRAO is an ophthalmologic emergency*
- Eyeball massage
- Carbogen therapy: inhaling a mixture of 5% CO2 and 95% O2
- Decrease IOP: surgical therapy
What is amaurosis fugax?
Sudden, painless loss of vision that lasts for seconds to minutes and is followed by spontaneous recovery
What is the cause of amaurosis fugax?
Retinal ischaemia following transient occlusion of the central retinal artery by microemboli
What is a potential complication of amaurosis fugax?
TIA
What are the causes of vitreous haemorrhage?
- Proliferative diabetic retinopathy
- Posterior vitreous detachment
- Ocular trauma (particularly in children and young adults)