Branch retinal artery occlusion as the initial sign of giant cell arteritis.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a patient whose initial sign of giant cell arteritis was a branch retinal artery occlusion.


METHODS
We examined a 77-year-old woman who developed arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy three weeks after an isolated non-embolic branch retinal artery occlusion occurred in the same eye.


RESULTS
The diagnosis of giant cell arteritis was confirmed by temporal artery biopsy after the patient was treated with intravenous corticosteroids.


CONCLUSIONS
Although a rare cause of branch retinal vascular occlusion, giant cell arteritis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a non-embolic branch retinal artery occlusion in elderly patients.
Fineman
M S
MS
Neuro-Ophthalmology Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Savino
P J
PJ
Federman
J L
JL
Eagle
R C
RC
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D018917:Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / Q000209:etiology; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D013699:Temporal Arteries / Q000473:pathology