CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION

Course overview

CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION (CRAO) IS THE SUDDEN BLOCKAGE OF THE CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERY, RESULTING IN RETINAL HYPOPERFUSION, RAPIDLY PROGRESSIVE CELLULAR DAMAGE, AND VISION LOSS. RETINA SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON THE DEGREE OF COLLATERALIZATION AND THE DURATION OF RETINAL ISCHEMIA. PROMPT DIAGNOSIS AND EARLY TREATMENT TO DISLODGE OR LYSE THE OFFENDING EMBOLUS OR THROMBUS IS CRUCIAL TO AVOID IRREVERSIBLE RETINAL DAMAGE AND BLINDNESS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSE AND PRESENTATION OF CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.