1996 Volume 35 Issue 12 Pages 937-940
Embolization from the carotid bifurcation has been proposed as the most common cause of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) and branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO). The purpose of this stuy was to evaluate carotid artery diseases in patients with CRAO and BRAO. Using carotid ultrasonography, 17 patients (13 males, 4 females, mean age 68.7±7.1 years) with CRAO and BRAO were examined for stenotic findings and plaque morphology (homogeneous or heterogeneous) within 7 days after onset. The internal carotid artery (ICA) ipsilateral to the affected side showed a significantly higher incidence of severe carotid stenosis as compared to the non-affected side. The occurrence of heterogeneous plaques in the ICA did not differ between the affected and the nonaffected side. We suspect that severe carotid stenosis in addition to heterogeneous plaques plays an important role in retinal artery occlusion.
(Internal Medicine 35: 937-940, 1996)
