Retinal Artery OcclusionSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Retinal Artery Occlusion
Retinal artery occlusion is a blockage in one of the small arteries that carry blood to the retina. The retina is a layer of tissue in the back of the eye that is able to sense light.
Central retinal artery occlusion; CRAO; Branch retinal artery occlusion; BRAO; Vision loss - retinal artery occlusion; Blurry vision - retinal artery occlusion
Retinal arteries may become blocked when a blood clot or fat deposits get stuck in the arteries. These blockages are more likely if there is hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) in the eye.
Clots may travel from other parts of the body and block an artery in the retina. The most common sources of clots are the heart and carotid artery in the neck.
Most blockages occur in people with conditions such as:
- Carotid artery disease, in which the two large blood vessels in the neck become narrowed or blocked
- Diabetes
- Heart rhythm problem (mainly atrial fibrillation)
- Heart valve problem
- High levels of fat in the blood (hyperlipidemia)
- High blood pressure
- Intravenous drug use
- Temporal arteritis (inflammation of arteries due to an immune response)
If a branch of the retinal artery is blocked, part of the retina will not receive enough blood and oxygen. If this happens, you may lose part of your vision.
Sudden blurring or loss of vision may occur in:
- All of one eye (central retinal artery occlusion or CRAO)
- Part of one eye (branch retinal artery occlusion or BRAO)
The retinal artery occlusion may last for only a few seconds or minutes, or it may be permanent.
A blood clot in the eye may be a warning sign of clots elsewhere. A clot in the brain may cause a stroke.
There is no proven treatment for vision loss that involves the whole eye, unless it is caused by another illness that can be treated.
Several treatments may be tried. To be helpful, these treatments must be given within 2 to 4 hours after symptoms begin. However, the benefit of these treatments has never been proven, and they are rarely used.
- Breathing in (inhaling) a carbon dioxide-oxygen mixture. This treatment causes the arteries of the retina to widen (dilate).
- Breathing in (inhaling) a high concentration of oxygen. This can help the retina survive, especially if the blockage is not complete.
- Massage of the eye.
- Removal of fluid from within the eye. An eye doctor uses a needle to drain a small amount of fluid from the front of the eye. This causes a sudden drop in eye pressure, which can sometimes cause the clot to move into a smaller branch artery where it will cause less damage.
- The clot-busting medicine, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA).
- Aspirin and other blood thinners.
The health care provider should look for the cause of the blockage. Blockages may be signs of a life-threatening medical problem.
Emory Eye Center
Valerie Biousse is an Ophthalmologist and a Neurologist practicing medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been practicing medicine for over 38 years. Dr. Biousse is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Retinal Artery Occlusion. She is also highly rated in 18 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Increased Intracranial Pressure, Pseudotumor Cerebri Syndrome, Papilledema, Optic Nerve Atrophy, and Embolectomy. Dr. Biousse is board certified in American Board Of Ophthalmology, 2004.
Scheie Eye Institute Radnor
Alexander Brucker is an Ophthalmologist practicing medicine in Radnor, Pennsylvania. Dr. Brucker is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Retinal Artery Occlusion. He is also highly rated in 28 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Retinal Artery Occlusion, Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD), Late-Onset Retinal Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy, and Vitrectomy. Dr. Brucker is board certified in Ophthalmology, 1977. Dr. Brucker is currently accepting new patients.
Southeastern Retina Associates
Claxton Baer is an Ophthalmologist practicing medicine in Kingsport, Tennessee. Dr. Baer is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Retinal Artery Occlusion. He is also highly rated in 19 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Late-Onset Retinal Degeneration, Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD), Retinal Vein Occlusion, and Retinal Artery Occlusion. Dr. Baer is board certified in American Board Of Ophthalmology.
People with blockages of the retinal artery may not get their vision back.
Complications may include:
- Glaucoma (CRAO only)
- Partial or complete loss of vision in the affected eye
- Stroke (due to the same factors that contribute to retinal artery occlusion, not due to the occlusion itself)
Contact your provider if you have sudden blurring or vision loss.
Measures used to prevent other blood vessel (vascular) diseases, such as coronary artery disease, may decrease the risk for retinal artery occlusion. These include:
- Eating a low-fat diet
- Exercising
- Stopping smoking
- Losing weight if you are overweight
Sometimes, blood thinners may be used to prevent the artery from becoming blocked again. Aspirin or other anti-clotting medicines are used if the problem is in the carotid arteries. Warfarin or other more potent blood thinners are used if the problem is in the heart.
Summary: Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) is a rare but vision-threatening vascular disorder that is commonly caused by embolic events originating from the heart or carotid arteries. Patients with RAO are known to have an increased risk of subsequent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, including ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. However, long-term outcomes and optimal medical treatment strate...
Summary: Autoimmune encephalitis is a debilitating neurological disorder that usually appears as a rapidly progressive form of brain dysfunction, typically developing in less than six weeks, caused by inflammation in the brain. These conditions show a wide range of clinical and immunological presentations and are generally divided into two main types. The first type includes what are called paraneoplastic ...
Published Date: January 27, 2026
Published By: Franklin W. Lusby, MD, Ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La Jolla, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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