{"id":1825,"date":"2026-10-20T08:52:23","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T08:52:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/eye-glossary\/eye-stroke\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T12:56:47","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T12:56:47","slug":"eye-stroke","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/en\/eye-glossary\/eye-stroke\/","title":{"rendered":"Eye Stroke (Retinal Artery Occlusion): Symptoms, Causes and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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  1. Home<\/a><\/li>
  2. Knowledge centre<\/a><\/li>
  3. Eye glossary A\u2013Z<\/a><\/li>
  4. Eye Stroke (Retinal Artery Occlusion): Symptoms, Causes and Treatment<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/div>\t\t\t

    Eye Stroke (Retinal Artery Occlusion): Symptoms, Causes and Treatment<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

    Medically reviewed by {{surgeon}}<\/span><\/strong>, {{surgeon’s title and specialty}}<\/span>, on {{review date}}<\/span>. Last updated {{date}}<\/span>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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    \"Retina<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    for eye stroke treatment on the NHS, the route is emergency care, not a routine appointment. An eye stroke, medically a retinal artery occlusion, is a blockage of the artery feeding the retina. It causes sudden, painless loss of vision in one eye and is treated as a form of stroke. Our retina specialists, Do\u00e7. Dr. Muhammet Derda \u00d6zer and Op. Dr. Aysan Bayram, see patients once the emergency has been dealt with.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

    \n\t\t<\/svg>Definition<\/span>\n\t\t\t

    Eye stroke<\/strong> (informal term, also “retinal stroke”)<\/em>: a sudden blockage of an artery supplying the retina, called a retinal artery occlusion (RAO)<\/strong>. Without blood, the retina is starved of oxygen and the nerve cells that carry sight to the brain are damaged within hours. It is called an eye stroke because it works like a stroke in the brain: a clot or fragment of plaque lodges in a small artery. The American Heart Association describes central retinal artery occlusion as a form of acute ischaemic stroke and a warning of further stroke and heart problems.<\/p>\n\t\t\t

    Do\u00e7. is the Turkish title for Associate Professor.<\/p><\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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    Eye stroke (retinal artery occlusion): key facts<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    <\/svg>Medical name<\/span><\/dt>
    Retinal artery occlusion: central (CRAO) or branch (BRAO)<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Main symptom<\/span><\/dt>
    Sudden, painless loss of vision in one eye, or of part of the visual field<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Who gets it<\/span><\/dt>
    Mostly older adults, more often men; also people with high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart rhythm problems or who smoke<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>How common<\/span><\/dt>
    About 1.9 new cases of central occlusion per 100,000 people a year in the United States, rising to about 10 per 100,000 in people over 80<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Is it an emergency?<\/span><\/dt>
    Yes. It needs immediate assessment, ideally at a hospital with stroke services<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Can vision come back?<\/span><\/dt>
    Often only partly, and in many people very little. Treatment options are limited and still being tested<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Linked risk<\/span><\/dt>
    Higher risk of stroke and heart attack afterwards, so a full vascular check is needed<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Specialist<\/span><\/dt>
    Emergency, stroke and eye teams at the time; later, a retina specialist (ophthalmologist). At Laser Istanbul Clinic: Do\u00e7. Dr. Muhammet Derda \u00d6zer or Op. Dr. Aysan Bayram<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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    What is an eye stroke? Central, branch and "mini" eye strokes<\/h2>\n\t\t\t

    An eye stroke is not one condition but a group of related blockages. The retina gets its blood from the central retinal artery<\/strong>, which divides into branches. Where the blockage sits decides how much vision you lose.<\/p>\n\t\t\t

    Type<\/th>What is blocked<\/th>What it usually feels like<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO)<\/strong><\/th>The main artery to the retina<\/td>Severe, sudden loss of vision across the whole eye<\/td><\/tr>
    Central occlusion with cilioretinal artery sparing<\/strong><\/th>The main artery, but a small extra vessel (present in about one in three eyes) still feeds the macula<\/td>Central vision can be much better preserved; the surrounding field is still lost<\/td><\/tr>
    Branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO)<\/strong><\/th>One branch of the artery. According to EyeWiki, about 38% of all retinal artery occlusions<\/td>A dark patch or missing area in part of the field of vision, usually less severe than CRAO<\/td><\/tr>
    Transient occlusion (“mini eye stroke”)<\/strong><\/th>A blockage that clears by itself<\/td>Vision goes, then returns. Doctors call this transient monocular vision loss or amaurosis fugax<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>

    Is a mini eye stroke serious?<\/strong> Yes. A transient episode means the same artery disease or clot source is present, and it is a warning that a full stroke or a permanent eye stroke can follow. The NHS describes a mini stroke (TIA) in the brain as a warning sign of a possible full stroke and says you need hospital assessment even if the symptoms disappear. The same principle applies when vision goes in one eye and then comes back.<\/p><\/div>\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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    Eye stroke symptoms<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

    The symptoms of an eye stroke are sudden, painless loss of vision in one eye.<\/strong> The loss typically develops over seconds. Look for:<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t