title: Embolic and nonembolic transient monocular visual field loss: a clinicopathologic review.
abstract: Transient monocular blindness and amaurosis fugax are umbrella terms describing a range of patterns of transient monocular visual field loss (TMVL). The incidence rises from ≈1.5/100,000 in the third decade of life to ≈32/100,000 in the seventh decade of life. We review the vascular supply of the retina that provides an anatomical basis for the types of TMVL and discuss the importance of collaterals between the external and internal carotid artery territories and related blood flow phenomena. Next, we address the semiology of TMVL, focusing on onset, pattern, trigger factors, duration, recovery, frequency-associated features such as headaches, and on tests that help with the important differential between embolic and non-embolic etiologies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.petzold@vumc.nl
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petzold
authors.forename: Niaz
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: Han-Hwa
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Gordon T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Plant
mesh_terms: D020757:Amaurosis Fugax / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002342:Carotid Artery, External / Q000473:pathology; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000473:pathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000209:etiology; D004617:Embolism / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000209:etiology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014794:Visual Fields