Amaurosis fugax is a temporary loss of vision in one or both eyes due to a lack of blood flow to the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eyeball.
Transient monocular blindness; Transient monocular visual loss; TMVL; Transient monocular visual loss; Transient binocular visual loss; TBVL; Temporary visual loss - amaurosis fugax
Amaurosis fugax is not itself a disease. Instead, it is a sign of other disorders. Amaurosis fugax can occur from different causes. One cause is when a blood clot or a piece of plaque blocks an artery in the eye. The blood clot or plaque usually travels from a larger artery, such as the carotid artery in the neck or an artery in the heart, to an artery in the eye.
Plaque is a hard substance that forms when fat, cholesterol, and other substances build up in the walls of arteries. Risk factors include:
Amaurosis fugax can also occur because of other disorders such as:
Symptoms include the sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes. This usually lasts for a few seconds to several minutes. Afterward, vision returns to normal. Some people describe the loss of vision as a gray or black shade coming down over the eye.
Treatment of amaurosis fugax depends on its cause. When amaurosis fugax is due to a blood clot or plaque, the concern is to prevent a stroke. The following can help prevent a stroke:
Your doctor may also recommend:
If a large part of the carotid artery appears blocked, carotid endarterectomy surgery is done to remove the blockage. The decision to do surgery is also based on your overall health.
Hugh Taylor is in Melbourne, Australia. Taylor is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Amaurosis Fugax. He is also highly rated in 8 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Amaurosis Fugax, Trachoma, Conjunctivitis, and Cataract.
Rupert Bourne is in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Bourne is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Amaurosis Fugax. He is also highly rated in 9 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Amaurosis Fugax, Glaucoma, Presbyopia, and Cataract.
Clare Gilbert is in London, United Kingdom. Gilbert is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Amaurosis Fugax. She is also highly rated in 21 other conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Amaurosis Fugax, Retinopathy of Prematurity, Congenital Hyperinsulinism, and Cataract.
Amaurosis fugax increases your risk for stroke.
Call your provider if any vision loss occurs. If symptoms last longer than a few minutes or if there are other symptoms with the vision loss, seek medical attention right away.
Published Date : June 23, 2020
Published By : Amit M. Shelat, DO, FACP, FAAN, Attending Neurologist and Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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Brown GC, Sharma S, Brown MM. Ocular ischemic syndrome. In: Schachat AP, Sadda SVR, Hinton DR, Wilkinson CP, Wiedemann P, eds. Ryan's Retina. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 62.
Meschia JF, Bushnell C, Boden-Albala B, et al. Guidelines for the primary prevention of stroke: a statement for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke. 2014;45(12):3754-3832. PMID: 25355838 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25355838/.