Obstruction of the central retinal artery. Comparison of the ophthalmodynamometry measurements in relation to the time.
The clinical picture of occlusion of the central retinal artery was studied in 37 cases. The fundus findings were described in the most interesting cases. The cerebrovascular resistance and cerebral blood flow were calculated on the nonaffected side. The ophthalmic artery blood pressure was found to be elevated in 5 cases due to obstruction of the internal carotid artery distal to the origin of the ophthalmic artery. The ophthalmic blood pressure was decreased in the rest of the cases within the first 3 days after the onset of the clinical manifestations of the disease. After 3 weeks, a recanalization of the central retinal artery had occurred in most cases. Almost all cases show no side difference after 2 months. A minimal side difference was found in a very few cases only. In 54% of the patients, ophthalmodynamometry of the nonaffected side revealed, an elevation of the cerebrovascular resistance. The cerebral blood flow is compensated in 67% due to the elevation of the internal carotid blood pressure. The findings indicate that patients with elevated vascular resistance are susceptible to obstruction of the central retinal artery.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009884:Ophthalmodynamometry; D012161:Retinal Artery; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors