This is an interruption of the circulation of the central retinal artery or one of its 4 branches resulting in irreversible cellular damage. It often indicates an underlying cardiovascular pathology.
Patients complain of a sudden decrease in visual acuity associated with a total loss of the visual field as well as mydriasis (dilation of the pupil) of the diseased eye, this causes more or less severe cell death. The eye is white and painless. On examination, visual acuity is often limited to light perception.
At FO after a few hours the retina appears white, edematous with a cherry red macula because it receives blood from the choroid.
Angiography shows delayed circulation in the central retinal artery.
The prognosis is very poor and recovery of acuity is rarely observed.
The cause will need to be treated and bilateralization prevented.
