HYPERBARIC TREATMENT OF CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION

Course overview

CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION (CRAO) IS A RELATIVELY RARE BUT POTENTIALLY DEVASTATING OCULAR EMERGENCY. PATIENTS PRESENT WITH SUDDEN, PAINLESS MONOCULAR VISION LOSS. THE PROGNOSIS FOR VISUAL RECOVERY IS POOR, AND UP UNTIL FAIRLY RECENTLY, THERE WAS NO TREATMENT THAT COULD RESTORE ANY DEGREE OF FUNCTIONAL VISION TO THE AFFECTED EYE. CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION LEADS TO HYPOXIA, AND THE RETINAL TISSUE IS ESPECIALLY INTOLERANT OF HYPOXIA. IN 2006, HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY WAS APPROVED FOR THE TREATMENT OF CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION, THOUGH IT REMAINS A VASTLY UNDERUTILIZED MODALITY, PARTIALLY DUE TO LACK OF AVAILABILITY AND LACK OF AWARENESS IN THE OPHTHALMOLOGY COMMUNITY. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.